Page 4 - OAS Magazine Q2 Summer

The Spring Pups at Los Islotes
The dive vessel, Don Jose, drifts and bobs fifty yards off the bustling, rocky islands of Los Islotes. The Wyland team has come to the Sea of Cortez in the midst of spring to see the startling eruption of life among these small, basalt outcroppings. Everywhere we look we see California sea lions, mothers and pups, lounge on sun-warmed rocks.
Across a short channel from Espiritu Santo island, Los Islotes has long been a mecca for the sea lions, and popular with divers and scientists who come to witness the pupping season. The islands are bearded with seagull guano and abound with cozy niches and haul-outs with easy access to the water.
Large crested males bellow and snort in fierce competition for territory and dominance. Harems of females and young snuggle close to one another, often on top of each other, or lumber into the water for a refreshing dip and lounge with their flippers skyward, like a lulling vacationer.
A raucous spirit invades the islands. The mothers and their new babies nest in vocal groups, called rookeries, where they can nurse their young and bask in the communal glow of motherhood.
The din is near constant. A female will vocalize during and after the birth of a pup. Teaching the pup the sound of its mother’s voice will become an important method of identifying the pup
4
PHOTOS BY: VANESSA MIGNON AND WYLAND