THE 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.

    These heart-warming pictures were taken by Colombian 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.

    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.

    “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 2.5 meters away, and there is a raised platform 1.5 meters above the surface of the water.”

    Castro said that this isn’t a big deal for people who live there. “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.” (SD-Agencies)