The Lurker
Steller sea lions are the largest of the eared seals, with adult males weighing up to 2,500 pounds. They are generous with their vocalizations and frequently spared while we were watching them feed on the spawning salmon. This sparing, especially when it is more aggressive to defend territory during mating season, can result in a shorter life expectancy for males. Here, the tussle ended quickly with the smaller sea lion yielding to the larger, more aggressive animal. With all the salmon, there wasn’t much of a need for real fighting. Near Valdez, Alaska. Photo © copyright by Sarah Marino and Ron Coscorrosa.