South American / Southern / Patagonian Sealion

South American / Southern / Patagonian Sealion - Group of adult female sealions walking on the beach rather than swimming along the shore to cross an area where killer whales / Orcas wait to capture sealion pups. (Otaria flavescens). Punta Norte, Valdes Peninsula, Patagonia, Argentina. Killer whales do not capture the adults but sometimes chase them, perhaps practicing their hunting skills, perhaps as pure harassment. The sealions seem never to forget that when they were little they had been hunted by the orcas. Although they travel more slowly on land than in water, and have to make frequent stops to rest, they avoid swimming in areas where they know killer whales are present.Latin formerly Otaria byronia

Capture Flavescens Killer Make Orca Orcas Otaria Patagonia Patagonian Pinnipeds Sealion Sealions Wait Whales

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