Sea lions are mammals, and while they hunt their sustenance from the sea, they live topside on small islands or rocky outcroppings. A sea lion colony will be composed of a dominant male, his harem of mating females, and their juvenile offspring. When entering the waters around their colony, the bull will first come out to meet scuba divers and let you know he is the boss. If you pass that test, the females may enter the water with their young and swim past you to be sure you are non-threatening. If the cows decide you are safe, they may allow the juveniles to come over and play with you. Swimming with young sea lions is like interacting with playful dogs. The sea lion pups will mouth your hand, pull your snorkel, and nibble on your fins; it's great fun. A truly awesome experience is to watch the adult sea lions hunting through a big school of jack. As clumsy as they may be on land, in the water sea lions are masterful swimmers and well adapted-predators; mammals surviving and hopefully thriving in the Sea of Cortez.
