The struggle between this California sea lion and an ocean sunfish lasted almost an hour. ‘The fish would dive to escape,’ says Ralph, ‘then both would surface further away, thrashing madly. As they looked eye to eye, the fish seemed almost to plead for its life.’ In the end the sea lion secured its meal.
Sunfish, Mola mola, are the world’s heaviest bony fish, with adults weighing up to two tonnes. This one is a juvenile, and although it’s smaller than an adult its skin is already tough as rubber. Being ungainly swimmers, sunfish are no match for agile sea lions with their powerful jaws and large canines.
USA
Ralph is a freelance underwater and environmental photojournalist living in Monterey, California. He holds a graduate degree in Marine Conservation from Scripps Institution of Oceanography. His clients include National Geographic Magazine, The Washington Post and The Nature Conservancy.
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