Seal of approval
Cindy the sealion, rescued by the Pet Porpoise Pool, NSW, Australia.
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Learn about the Australian Sea Lion
The Australian Sea Lion (Neophoca cinerea) is a species of sea lion
that breeds only on the south and west coasts of Australia. Today
there are about 10,000 Australian Sea Lions following the introduction
of the Australian National Parks and Wildlife Act of 1972 which
prohibited a harvest that began in earnest as soon as Europeans
colonised the continent.
The Australian Sea Lion inhabits the ocean around Australia, and
nowhere else. They only eat at sea, where they hunt fish, squid, and
other sea creatures. They have front-flippers that allow them to
propel quickly through water and be more agile on land by being able
to walk on all four flippers.
The breeding cycle of the Australian sea lion is unusual within the
pinniped family. It is an 18 month cycle and is not synchronized
between colonies. The duration of the breeding season can range from 5
to 7 months and has been recorded for up to 9 months at Seal Bay on
Kangaroo Island.
Bulls do not have fixed territories during the breeding season. The
males fight other males from a very young age to establish their
individual positions in the male hierarchy and during the breeding
season, dominant males will guard females for the right to breed with
her when she comes into oestrus. A female comes into season for about
24 hours within 7 to 10 days after she has given birth to her new pup.
She will only look after the new pup and generally fights off the
previous season's pup if it attempts to continue to suckle from her.
Male Australian Sea Lions are also known to kill young, as an act of
defence of territory.
Two females from the July 2001 breeding season were observed having
their first pups where they were born. The females were part of a
research project where 55 pups from that season were observed from the
date of birth and their birth locations were also recorded. The
females have proven a theory that the birth sites of the females are
extremely important in their selection of future birth sites for their
pups, which is another reason why the protection of existing colonies
is so important to the species.
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If you like this photo please consider adding it to your favourites. Also check out my photostream, or just my other animal photos. If you want to licence this photo for commercial use, please contact me by e-mail (erik at erikveland com) or flickr-mail. Cheers mates!
Comments and faves
Salmah MK, Darling♥Angel, Ela Stern, Sam Ilić, and 40 other people added this photo to their favorites.
Salmah MK (52 months ago | reply)
Hi Erik, how are you? I hope all is well with you. A great shot here, love the clarity and bokeh. Superb work!
Erik K Veland (52 months ago | reply)
Wow that was quick Dolpharius! I'm pretty good, thanks. How are you?
Yeah, I reckon a good bokeh shot isn't very good unless you have a good clear subject.
(Gary) [deleted] (52 months ago | reply)
Fantastic Close-up!
Seen In The Group, That’s Getting Up Close!
TiNkA_109 (52 months ago | reply)
hiya :)
very cute image, very sharp, i like how you have blurred the background, great colours too, nice detail on the whiskers, good composition. he/she actually looks like is posing for you :)) well done :)
arclight photo (52 months ago | reply)
This is a lovely shot - well done! I really like the expression on the sea lion's face, the tilt of its head and the way it's looking directly into the camera - it gives it a superior air which, combined with the whiskers, make me think of a pompous Victorian gentleman :)
Great sharpness in the foreground and the bokeh helps it to stand out well. The only criticism I could make is the position of the fencepole more or less on the tip of the sea lion's nose, which is slightly distracting. Overall, though, a really striking image.
Steve T Morris (52 months ago | reply)
Well done my friend, this is a lovely photograph that shows off the majesty of this wonderful creature. The composition is perfect with the varoius lines guiding the eye around the image. It is very sharp and perfectly focussed on the right spot. My only contribution for improving the shot is to push up the contrast on the sea lion and darken the background a little, I do find that somewhat distracting. Great photograph though and I wish I'd taken it.
flickrized (52 months ago | reply)
fantastic close-up, amazing clarity and sharpness
jtuason (52 months ago | reply)
Compositionally excellent. I would play a bit with the levels, though. You can get it to "pop." Try lightening the mid levels and then darkening the low levels. This would give the shot greater visual depth.
Silent Streams (52 months ago | reply)
A very good shot-in terms of color, clarity , angle and subject matter. The information below is useful too. I love it. Simple but neat. I like the glow, bokeh and DOF too. Well done !
Ela Stern (52 months ago | reply)
What a lovely Shot! Great Sharpness
You are invited to display your image.
I wish I'd taken it!!!
Damn! I Wish I'd Taken That!!! - Invitation
Invited Images Only
Post 1--Award 2
Sam Ilić (52 months ago | reply)
man, all your shots are so sharp and clear. How do you do it?
--
Seen in my contacts' photos. (?)
Erik K Veland (52 months ago | reply)
stage88: I take a lot of photos of the same subject and then discard the crap ones ;)
jtuason: I agree with you normally, just look at my stream. I was going for a more natural look for this one, to temper a bit of the hyperreal photos that preceded it. I tried a few more "popping" adjustments before, but decided against it. It was particularly hard not to crush his eye into comoplete darkness, which took away some of the "humanity" in this gorgeous creature.
Thanks to everyone else who have commented so far! It is much appreciated!
natalija2006 (52 months ago | reply)
Fantastic Close-up!
Seen In The Group, That’s Getting Up Close!
Leenda K (52 months ago | reply)
What beauty!! She and the image..
I Wish I'd Taken It!!!
Damn! I Wish I'd Taken That!!! - Award
Invited Images Only
Post 1--Award 2
flipkeat (52 months ago | reply)
lol great shot..what fun..
This adorable critter was seen at
jirkomzdasan (52 months ago | reply)
Fantastic close up :)
The World Through My Eyes
Erik K Veland (52 months ago | reply)
Thank you natalija, Leenda K, flipkeat and here-comes-the-sun!
konstelacioni fantastik (52 months ago | reply)
I love the softness and the magic of this photo
TGIF at:
The World Through My Eyes
faungg (52 months ago | reply)
I pick this photograph to be on the cover of National Geographic
National Geographic: Are You Good Enough?
TGIF at:
The World Through My Eyes
*ian* (52 months ago | reply)
Wonderful!
TGIF at:
The World Through My Eyes
Nikondharma (52 months ago | reply)
I pick this photograph to be on the cover of National Geographic
National Geographic: Are You Good Enough?
w.eras (52 months ago | reply)
Wow, this is very sharp!
TGIF at:
The World Through My Eyes
juj ~ (52 months ago | reply)
beautiful detail and dof - lovely portrait of a great animal
TGIF at:
The World Through My Eyes
CaseyJ* [deleted] (52 months ago | reply)
indeed she would approve of this silvery portrait
TGIF at:
The World Through My Eyes
kimberlyfaye (52 months ago | reply)
Adorable seal! Great shot.
TGIF at:
The World Through My Eyes
JK> (52 months ago | reply)
A great pose...
TGIF at:
The World Through My Eyes
antonychammond (52 months ago | reply)
You've sealed another award, lovely! Seen in
***FLICKRPEDIA*** House of Knowledge
Sophie Riches (52 months ago | reply)
this is beautiful,
nice photography :) xx
Erik K Veland (52 months ago | reply)
Thank you Sophie :)
(and everyone else who has commented!)
Marit Welker Photography (52 months ago | reply)
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called The Face of Innocence (p1, i1, c1) Join a contest!, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
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There is just one more day to enter this to our contest if you would like! We would love to have you add this if you can!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please consider posting a medium size copy to the site below:
The Face of Innocence February Contest -theme "innocence and water"
sheriberi1 (52 months ago | reply)
Love it!
She looks so incredibly soft
Krstnn Hrmnsn (47 months ago | reply)
Definitely my favourite seal pun. Also, great shot!
savannah33 (46 months ago | reply)
i love this. it is wonderful and so clear!
DorsArt [deleted] (30 months ago | reply)
Brilliant shot Erik.
This photo was invited and added to the Creative Commons- Free Pictures group.
lunamom58 (27 months ago | reply)
Beautiful shot...thanks for sharing!
ShShShay (26 months ago | reply)
Beautiful spirit...
sweetchick75 (16 months ago | reply)
Beautiful shot! Excellent detail. I like how we can see the water droplets on the seal's whiskers!! Great bokeh! I LOVE the title, too! Very appropriate!!! :)