Sea lion has become a regular at fishmonger's shop and will even queue for an hour to pick up some tuna

ECUADOR -- This sea lion is one of the regulars at a fishery as she stands on her flippers patiently queuing up for her fish supper.

The cheeky mammal made her way from the sea to the fish stall and waited for her turn for an hour.
After being given scraps of fish by the generous fishmonger, the sea lion made her way back to the sea.

Sea lion waddles up to stall before getting on her hind legs to see what's on offer

Locals do not touch the sea mammal nor interact with her

These heart-warming pictures were taken by photographer Kristhian Castro, during a visit to Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos, Ecuador.

The 38-year-old Colombian took the fishy photographs at a port a herring's throw from the sea.

Mr Castro said: 'The sea lion is looking for fish scraps left over from the filleting process which is usually found in the fishing port.

'I found it very interesting, I really enjoyed the moment because it's like the sea lion is a customer. I expected to find wildlife in large quantity; it was so surprising to see that the animals there are not afraid of humans.

'It was so funny to observe how it was standing on its back flippers. The sea lion was standing for about an hour. It took several fish scraps and later jumped back into the sea.

'The fish being sold were Wizzard Fish and Bigeye tuna. The fishing stall is close to the sea, just 2½ metres away, and there is a raised platform 1½ metres above the surface of the water. To return to the water, it just jumps in.'

Photos taken during a visit to Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos, Ecuador

 

The fish being sold were Wizzard Fish and Bigeye tuna

Mr Castro said that this isn't a big deal for people who live there, he said: 'For locals it's normal. They are accustomed to the proximity of the wildlife, but they never touch the animals nor interact with them.

'I especially love the photos that show the harmony between man and animals, as a result of the respect for the wildlife in this community.'

(Daily Mail - Oct 27, 2014)