Floreana Island
If we could make a quick survey this week among our guests about which animal has been their favorite, sea lions will be at first place undoubtedly. These marine mammals have a sort of uniqueness hard to beat. I use the word “uniqueness” to avoid humanizing these wonderful critters by calling their behavior “personality”. Obviously they are not persons, they are sea lions, and if I can coin a word trying to illustrate their unique behavior, it would “sealionality.” This word is intended to describe the big array of feelings the sea lions provoke in their observers.
Young sea lions in general are very playful and curious; these characteristics are innate to mammals in general. Early in the morning we observed a cheerful group in a very small pond of water. At one point we did not know who was observing whom. Some of them were jostling to have a better view of the Zodiac. Latter in the morning we swam and snorkeled with them; in simple words it is a magical experience. You have to live it to believe it. Their small heads sticking out of the water with curiosity and how close they bubble just in front of your face makes you think about how incredibly naïve they can be. A wonderful naiveté produced by thousands of years of isolation under the influence of the very special ecological conditions of the Galápagos Islands.
If we could make a quick survey this week among our guests about which animal has been their favorite, sea lions will be at first place undoubtedly. These marine mammals have a sort of uniqueness hard to beat. I use the word “uniqueness” to avoid humanizing these wonderful critters by calling their behavior “personality”. Obviously they are not persons, they are sea lions, and if I can coin a word trying to illustrate their unique behavior, it would “sealionality.” This word is intended to describe the big array of feelings the sea lions provoke in their observers.
Young sea lions in general are very playful and curious; these characteristics are innate to mammals in general. Early in the morning we observed a cheerful group in a very small pond of water. At one point we did not know who was observing whom. Some of them were jostling to have a better view of the Zodiac. Latter in the morning we swam and snorkeled with them; in simple words it is a magical experience. You have to live it to believe it. Their small heads sticking out of the water with curiosity and how close they bubble just in front of your face makes you think about how incredibly naïve they can be. A wonderful naiveté produced by thousands of years of isolation under the influence of the very special ecological conditions of the Galápagos Islands.
