There’s a motive they’re referred to as sea LIONS. And that is it.
A current video captured by a wildlife photographer generally known as “Loriannah” exhibits a sea lion viciously dispatching a mid-sized blue shark. In line with an Instagram put up, the footage was taken aboard a Princess Monterey Whale Watching Boat in California’s Monterey Bay—an space recognized for its vibrant marine ecosystem.
“Warning: graphic content material. Nature isn’t all the time a pleasing factor to look at for some individuals,” wrote Loriannah within the video description. “Sea lions are opportunistic feeders, in line with the Marine Mammal Middle, which suggests they go for simple meals. That features squid, herring, and even small sharks.”
The quick video exhibits a sea lion rising to the ocean’s floor whereas gripping a shark with its jaws. The marine mammal thrashes the whole shark’s physique out of the water, ripping out its throat within the course of. Then it gulps down a chew of flesh as a gull seems on, hoping for scraps. It’s a violent—and compelling—piece of footage.
“Very similar to the land-based kings of the African savannah, this marine mammal places on a visceral show of uncooked energy because it fairly actually goes for the throat of this blue shark,” wrote Nature is Steel, which re-shared the video. “Whereas fish and squid are the same old staples on this aquatic lion’s weight-reduction plan, these marine mammals are recognized for his or her adaptability and opportunism.”
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In line with the Monterey Bay Aquarium, sea lions are discovered within the North Pacific from British Columbia right down to Baja California. The predatory mammals are recognized to succeed in 8 ft in size and 800 kilos in weight. They’re typically focused as prey by orcas and nice white sharks—the true apex predators of ocean ecosystems.