Playful sea lion in bait ball entertains scuba divers with his antics

4 months ago
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Playful sea lions zoom through the crystal-clear waters of the Galápagos Islands like a torpedo with flippers. They somersault right in front of wide-eyed scuba divers, blowing a stream of bubbles like they are putting on a show. The diver laughs through his regulator, as a sea lion spins in front of him, nipping gently at his camera before darting away and circling back for more.
Curious, mischievous, and absolutely charming—sea lions seems to know they are the stars of the reef. These sea lions are in the middle of as bait ball. A school of salemas gathers in an attempt to avoid predators like the sea lions. They swim close together to confuse other animals, creating a visual distraction that prevents them from focusing on one fish. But the sea lions know that sooner or later, one of the fish will become tired or slow. It is then that the sea lions will single them out and eat them.
Sea lions are incredibly agile in the water, seemingly able to move quickly with no effort. They also love to buzz past scuba divers, inviting them to play. These divers were delighted to interact with such underwater clowns.

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