Isolated on the Galapagos
They've been here so long.
They've become a separate species.
When the surf's up
The sea lions spend hours just messing around in the waves.
Surfing burns a lot of energy, and they can only do it
because these cold seas support vast numbers of fish.
The sea lions share these nutrient-rich waters
with another equatorial misfit.
Penguins--the only penguins found in the tropics.
Like the sea lions, Galapagos penguins can survive here,
because the water keeps them cool and well fed.
But these conditions are not constant.
In El Nino years, when currents reverse, warm waters replace cold
fish populations crash and then, stuck on Galapagos
penguins and sea lions starve.