Dream Trip 2008: June

Great Travel Moment

I took this shot in the Galapagos Islands. As we arrived at Santa Fe, another group notified us that a mother sea lion had just given birth to a pup about an hour ago. The pair was lying on the beach close by and the new relationship was an extremely rare thing to witness. You can see by the scratches on her body that giving birth is a painful and exhausting experience for sea lions. But the mother cared for her baby before herself. I think the tenderness between the animals shows in this picture. Although I've always been interested in protecting the rights of animals and the environment, this trip inspired me even more so. When I read about the killing of some 50 Galapagos sea lions a few months ago, I was shocked and devastated. Looking at this picture I don't understand how anyone could cause them harm.