http://www.flickr.com/photos/aikimoe/459393766/sizes/l/in/photostream/

Here’s something quite at the other end of the scale: http://youtu.be/B-yUKS3O66A.
This Northern fur seal (named Cordova) seems to be quite famous for her wonderful “vocalisations” :-)

http://www.neaq.org/animals_and_exhibits/exhibits/whats_new_and_coming_soon/seals_and_sea_lions/
Such wonderful creatures in so many ways!

I then have to click edit, then make new breaks, using the small, 3.5 line window.  If it can’t be fixed – no big deal, only takes another minute. But, for a second or two, I think or bellow ‘Discus…Discuus….Discuuuuus.’

I hear a tiny violin playing. _How_Dare_You_

Quoting from Wikipedia:

“Caniformia, or Canoidea (literally “dog-like”), is a suborder within the order Carnivora. They typically possess a long snout and non-retractile claws (in contrast to the cat-like carnivorans, the Feliformia). The Pinnipedia (seals, sea lions and walruses) evolved from caniform ancestors and are accordingly assigned to this group.” Here’s the WikiP link: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caniformia

What I find interesting, is that many species of pinnipeds can, and have been either been taken in by humans, or having developed an affection for humans & their food (like the blue-jays, yard dear or squirrels), have moved in, and have _not_ been snarly, snappy, or disembowely. 

Wolves have moved in with humans like this, but with a lot more of the snarly, snappy and disembowely. Current theory is dogs mostly came about by the self-domestication of wolves, independent of human intent (Deliberate human breeding of dogs came much, much later, after we stopped living in caves and eating our own poop.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-domestication

I think that maybe there is something about the social structure of marine mammals that selects for more cooperation and a different sort of social-intelligence than is required for land-mammals.

It’s not as if the standard behavior for zoological exhibits is to go out into the wild and capture healthy animals purely to contain them for human amusement. Does that sometimes happen? Sadly yes, in some places in the world. But the vast majority of reputable zoos, aquariums, aviaries, and the like operate within established guidelines and based upon respectable ethical beliefs.

I believe that no wild pinnipeds (and et al) should be captured for display. The pic series is really cute, but I have seen in person and in media, similar interaction, in the human’s and pinniped’s natural habitat.

My cognitive dissonance is that there are pinnipeds that have been born in captivity and have diminished capacity to live elsewhere, and the ones that were taken in, and treated for injuries that, even when treated and healed, would be fatal in the wild. 

However, I agree with your comment.

If you look at the light streaming from above, and the surface of the water, or look at the informational placard on the wall in the other images, it becomes clear which way is up.

The glass IS, however, strongly curved in a concave manner… perhaps that’s affecting your perception of it?

On the other hand, being a caniform, perhaps there was a bit of ‘mmmm….delicious poop’ mixed in with this. 

Here’s a link to a video of some kids doing just that.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FcG5uxKrRA

You too Antinous.