Curious sea lion is ready for his close-up with underwater photographer

By CRAIG MACKENZIE

Playful: Two curious young sea lions check out the underwater photographer as he takes pictures of them near Port Lincoln, South Australia

When you are a young and curious sea lion, playing up to an underwater camera comes as second nature.
These adorable pups preened and posed for pictures when photographer Michael O'Neill plunged into the sea.
At one point, he found himself surrounded by a pod of up to 40 sea lions including a suspicious bull which swam round him before deciding he was a friendly creature.

Posing: Two tame sea lion pups have no fear of the underwater camera with one showing off his best side

Michael, a professional wildlife cameraman, took the stunning images at South Australia's Hopkins Island near Port Lincoln. He is now planning to publish them in his new book about marine wildlife.

Playful: A young sea lion demands to have his picture taken by wildlife photographer Michael O'Neill

The 45-year-old American from Florida, said: 'The pups were mostly playing in the shallows and the adults were basking in the sun, which had been absent for days.
'The minute I jumped into the water from a boat, all the pups raced towards me - they were followed by a big bull who made a few passes to check me out.
'All of the animals, including the bull, were friendly and were mesmerized by my underwater camera.

Group shot: A one stage a pod of 40 sea lions surrounded the photographer after he jumped into the sea.

'The pups played and chased each other, picking up rocks and dropping them and occasionally blowing bubbles.
'They followed me around for about two hours before they started to lose interest and swam away towards the beach.'
He added: 'I think the Australian sea lion is the most adorable wild animal on the planet, I love how engaged they were while I took the photos.
'I have to say it was the most rewarding experience I've had as a professional photographer.


Graceful: A stunning image of the sea lions as they swim undersea off Port Lincoln after investigating the photographer

'Some of these shots are my all-time favourites. I had been to Hopkins Island two times before but that day I had all the sea lions just for myself.'
The animals are highly endangered with only 10,000 to 15,000 left despite the fact they have been protected from hunting for the last 40 years.
Experts believe a variety of factors are negatively impacting sea lions, including food shortage, entanglement in fishing equipment and high pup mortality.
They are also under threat of predation from sharks, human disturbance and even bullying by New Zealand fur seals which are taking over their territory.

source: dailymail

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Feeding time! Sea lion gets to grips with keeper as he jumps for fish at Vienna Zoo

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Tough job: A zoo keeper looks inside the mouth of a South American sea at Vienna Zoo
At first glance it looks as though this zoo keeper may have found himself in a rather dangerous situation, as he stands with his entire head inside a sea lion’s head. However the scenario is a fundamental part of his job at Vienna Zoo in Austria, for he is actually checking the teeth of the huge animal.
The daily ritual also sees the South American sea lions leaping in the air for food and hugging the keeper doling out fish from his bucket.

Feeding time: The keeper puts fish into the mouths of the South American sea lions

Male South American sea lions are famous for their manes and are referred to as Mähnenrobben (mane sea lions) in Austria. They are known for being good swimmers and can dive to 76 metres in depth for more than 15 minutes.
The animal is one of many South American sea lions at the Vienna Zoo (or Tiergarten Schönbrunn), which is located on the grounds of the famous Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria.
It was founded as an imperial menagerie in 1752, and is the oldest zoo in the world.

Daily ritual: The animal leaps in the air as the keeper throws fish towards him

Perfect catch: Male South American Sea Lions are famous for their manes and are referred to as Mähnenrobben (mane sea lions) in Austria

source: dailymail

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Horrific images show how ocean debris is maiming and killing seals and sea lions

By ANTHONY BOND

Horrific: The effects of debris on sea lions and seals has been highlighted in a new video by fishing authorities. In this image a dead sea lion can be seen pinned by her flippers in a windsock, which led to her drowning

The devastating effects of debris on sea lions and seals has been highlighted in a video by fishing authorities in Alaska.
Horrific images show the marine animals with their necks tightly bound and cut with bands and fishing nets and others with fishing lures hanging from their mouths.
In one of the more gruesome images a dead sea lion can be seen pinned by her flippers in a windsock, which led to her drowning.


Upsetting: The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has released the video to highlight the effects of fishing gear and other debris on marine animals. Here, a fishing lure can be seen trapped on a sea lion

It is thought that many of the animals become trapped in plastic bands when they are young.
But as they get older and grow, the bands slowly cut into their bodies, which can lead to strangulation.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game released the video to highlight the effects of fishing gear and other debris on the animals.

Work to be done: This sea lion has a large red fishing lure trapped in her mouth. Scientists believe they are under-estimating the number of animals which are affected by the problem

Gruesome: This picture shows how a band trapped around a sea lions neck has caused horrific injuries

It revealed that 386 animals had picked up debris.
Plastic packing bands - used to secure boxes - and rubber bands were found to be the most common items which ended up around the necks of the animals.
Metal flasher lures, which are used when fishing for salmon, were the most frequent fishing gear ingested.
Lauri Jemison, a wildlife biologist in the Steller Sea Lion program of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, who took part in the study, told LiveScience:

Painful: A band is wrapped around the body of this seal. It is believed the bands become trapped around the bodies of the young animals which tighten as they grow, possible strangling them

Worrying: A dead seal with a fishing lure trapped in its face. Researchers say sea birds and turtles are also getting injured because of sea debris

'We are certainly underestimating the number of animals entangled.
'We go out every summer here in southeastern Alaska and we try to visit every haul out (where animals come to shore) and rookery (where they breed) at least once.'
Researchers say they could have missed counting some of the animals which didn't come to shore or were not visible in a crowd of sea lions.
The horrific effects of sea debris also affect other marine wildlife, including sea birds and turtles.
As well as the Steller sea lions, northern fur seals also become regularly entangled.

Way forward: Authorities in Alaska are now looking to work with the fishing industry to see how they can lessen the number of injuries and deaths to sea animals through debris

Although the researchers found that they don't swallow as much fishing gear as the Steller sea lion, they do get bands trapped around their necks.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is now looking for funding to work with the fishing industry to help prevent the sea lions and seals from becoming trapped in fishing equipment.
People are also being encouraged to cut loops which are thrown into rubbish bins.



source: dailymail

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Blinded in vicious gun attack, the sad sea lion that can never return to the wild

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

FILE - In this Dec. 26, 2010 file photo, a sea lion recovers from gun shot wounds at the Marine Mammal Center, in Sausalito, Calif. The federal Marine Mammal Protection Act makes shooting or harming ocean mammals a crime, but after years of declines in reported shootings in California, wildlife officials have seen a slight rise: there were 43 reported marine mammal shootings in 2009, nine more than in 2008 and 14 more than five years earlier, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (AP Photo/San Francisco Chronicle, Michael Macor, File) NO SALES MAGS OUT NO INTERNET NO TV MANDATORY CREDIT


Watching Silent Knight the sea lion move about - playful inquisitive, and yet blinded by a shotgun blast to the head - the overpowering thought is: 'Why would anyone want to do this?'

The seven-foot-long sea mammal is recovering at the Marine Mammal Centre in Sausalito, California.

But experts are under no illusions that Silent Knight will ever make a return to the wild from where he came.


Close to death: Multiple buckshot fragments can be seen in an X-ray of Silent Knight's skull. The creature was left permanently and totally blinded by the attack


The injured sea lion was found after being blasted in the head by an unknown gunman. He was brought to the Marine Mammal Centre and has been slowly nursed back to health.

The plucky sea creature has had a remarkable recovery but his injuries are permanent and debilitating.

X-rays of the animal reveal at least four large pieces of buckshot in his skull - one lodged near the eye and dangerously close to the brain.

The federal Marine Mammal Protection Act makes shooting or harming ocean mammals a crime, but after years of decline in reported shootings in California, wildlife officials have seen a slight rise.


Recue centre: the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito. Sadly, it has seen many animals attacked by hearltess humans, and the incidence of illegal gun attacks on sea animals is on the rise


There were 43 reported marine mammal shootings in 2009, nine more than in 2008 and 14 more than five years earlier, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Veterinarians at the centre are hoping that an aquarium or zoo will provide a long-term home for him.

While wild sea lions that are born blind or gradually lose their sight have the possibility of adapting to that blindness and surviving in the ocean, adult sea lions like Silent Knight, who have relied on their vision all of their lives, are not so fortunate.

The centre's website says Silent Knight's story highlights the realities of what happens to marine mammals at the hands of thoughtless and cruel people.

It says: 'We hope you pause to think about these animals and consider ways you can help them, and stop these unthinkable acts.


source: dailymail

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California sea lion, two-month-old baby Gina

California sea lion Doro (top) barks while resting next to her two-month-old baby Gina in their enclosure during their official presentation at Berlin Zoo August 17, 2010.



California sea lion Doro (R) nuzzles her two-month-old baby Gina in their enclosure during their official presentation at Berlin Zoo August 17, 2010.




California sea lion Doro (L) nuzzles her two-month-old baby Gina in their enclosure during their official presentation at Berlin Zoo August 17, 2010.




photo: Reuters

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California sea lion, two-month-old baby Gina

California sea lion Doro (top) barks while resting next to her two-month-old baby Gina in their enclosure during their official presentation at Berlin Zoo August 17, 2010.



California sea lion Doro (R) nuzzles her two-month-old baby Gina in their enclosure during their official presentation at Berlin Zoo August 17, 2010.




California sea lion Doro (L) nuzzles her two-month-old baby Gina in their enclosure during their official presentation at Berlin Zoo August 17, 2010.




photo: Reuters

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