Swimming with sea lions, Ecuador

Baby sea lions are some of the cutest and most curious animals on earth, though their parents (and the National Park naturalists) certainly won’t appreciate you trying to play with them. And no, you can’t take one home. Trust me. But you can get close to these little guys without disturbing them or stressing them out. Chances are good that they’ll even come to you first. Just remember not to touch them, never feed them, and take nothing home but your photos. And always remember, dad is watching – like this big fella here.