A wildlife volunteer has captured the sweet moment a sea lion pup couldn’t contain their excitement when their mom returned from a fishing trip – which can sometimes last days at a time.
The sweet moment was shot at Boomer Beach, La Jolla, California, by Victoria, 30, a volunteer with the Sierra Club Seal Society.
The area is closed to the public, Victoria said, with La Jolla having the only sea lion rookery on the California coast.
It’s natural behavior for a sea lion mom to leave her pup ashore and go out fishing for up to two days, as newborn sea lion pups can’t swim well at birth and get all their sustenance from nursing, since they are mammals.
When mom comes back, she uses a unique vocalization to call out for her pup, and the pup will call back.
The sea lions then use scent to verify by touching noses, find each other in a crowded rookery.
Victoria experienced such a heartwarming moment on June 15, as she was watching a little pup wandering around from a distance.
When the mom washed up and started calling for her pup, the younger sea lion appeared to be doing a happy jig as they approached their mother, which Victoria happened to capture on video.
Through sharing such educational footage on social media, Victoria also hopes to emphasize the importance of respecting wildlife and keeping a distance from sea lions.
She said: “I see reunions often, but it’s heartwarming every time.
“It always makes me happy because even though it’s their natural behavior and completely necessary, it’s still obviously a risk for mom to leave her pup alone.
“She could be attacked by a shark, or harmed by fishermen.
“The pup could be subject to human harassment, which can lead to the mom abandoning her pup.
“So, it’s very uplifting, to see mom come back to a happy and healthy pup.”
