Despite the rapid modernization and urbanization of the world that has resulted in vast swathes of animal habitats and forests giving way to farms, factories, or new towns, there are still places in the world where one can still experience the raw majesty of nature.

Watch the video of the adorable sea lion.

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Video credit: Rumble

One of these is the Galapagos Islands, often called the “Islands Born of H*ll.” This is because all that beauty resides in a wild and hostile environment. Still, the islands still host some of the most diverse and unique life on Earth, species that have adapted to survive and even thrive in conditions that would lay low other creatures.

The Galapagos tortoises, countless bird species and insects, and a spectacular marine ecosystem call the Galapagos home.

Sea lions can also be found in the islands, creatures that have often been referred to as “sea dogs” because their personalities and behavior are strikingly similar to our beloved furry family members. Their curiosity and playfulness can easily make one forget that they are still wild creatures.

Still, sea lions seem to love close interaction and their approachable and fun-loving nature makes that easy to achieve. However, tourists are still cautioned against touching them or getting too close. They are not dogs!

This is even more important when it comes to young sea lions. When their parents are out hunting, these sea lion pups are more likely to approach humans seeking care and affection. But interacting too closely with them can be a death sentence for these sea lion pups because once the mothers detect the scent of a human on the pup, they will be abandoned.

And so it happened that this tourist observed a sea lion pup happily nursing as its mother was lying back on the sand while shaded by the rock formation. The tourist comes closer in order to get a clearer view and at that point, the pup’s curiosity took over and it stopped nursing in order to approach the camera.

While the encounter is adorable, the tourist recognizes that interacting too closely with the pup could do it more harm than good so he backs away until the pup returns to its mom.

The residents of the Galapagos Islands understand the delicate balance that must be maintained in Nature which is why they let the wild animals be, no matter what happens. Helping one creature can result in a bigger disaster down the road.

 

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