Via David Pescovitz I came across this video of sea lions playing volleyball. (I initially thought they were seals because I was not aware of the differences between seals and sea lions but this article explains it. One thing that puzzles me is that the article says that sea lions are brown but these appear to be black.) They show extremely impressive skills, even spiking the ball and using strategic placing. I was pretty bad at this sport, never quite getting the hang of how to use my hands clasped together to control the direction of the ball.
My problem with clips like this is that ever since the abusive treatment of animals by theme parks and circuses in order to get them to perform tricks came to light, I can no longer take undiluted pleasure in such things because I do not know if the animals were treated badly in the training process. I do not know where this was done.
I cannot be certain, but this MAY be a place called Farglory Ocean Park (Hualien, Taiwan). The reviews I’ve read suggest it is a fairly cheap — and possibly somewhat rundown — facility, increasing my concern about the treatment and training of the sea lions.
Difference between seals and sea lions?
Just take a seal’s favourite electrons away: now you’ve got a seal ion.
Oh, and an angry seal of course.
Just to be a party pooper:
” Sea lions (left) are brown, bark loudly, “walk” on land using their large flippers and have visible ear flaps. Seals have small flippers, wriggle on their bellies on land, and lack visible ear flaps.
“these appear to be black” I think they’re just darker when wet.
EigenSprocket $#2,
Ha!
OK… now I want to see them playing my sport: badminton.
Clickbait. I thought it was going to be a couple of white atheist men posing questions while playing volleyball.
Never gonna get this into the Olympics.
#7
“Sea lions playing volleyball”
becomes
“a couple of white atheist men posing questions while playing volleyball.”
How does ‘sea lions’ mean ‘a couple of white atheist men posing questions’??
#9
https://www.quora.com/What-is-sealioning