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VIDEO: 20 sea lions put on a show for beach-goers near Nanaimo

Animals were displaying ‘rafting’ behaviour, says DFO

A group of about 20 sea lions put on a show for people visiting a beach in Lantzville yesterday.

The animals, about 50 metres from the shoreline off the end of Oar Road on Tuesday, Feb. 8, were “rafting” in the water, barking, bobbing above the waves and swimming to and fro as people gathered on the shore to watch the display.

Paul Cottrell, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Marine Mammal Response Program coordinator, said in an e-mail that the animals were displaying rafting behaviour, “which is a resting, socializing and thermo-regulating behaviour.”

“Cool to see, especially with that many animals,” he said.

READ ALSO: 300-kilogram sea lion muscled up from the beach in rescue attempt in Nanaimo



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Chris Bush

About the Author: Chris Bush

As a photographer/reporter with the Nanaimo News Bulletin since 1998.
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