If you hear barking near the water, don’t look for a dog: it is the California sea lion, one of the most sociable and noisiest animals in the ocean. Do you know how it differs from a seal? Look at the ears: the sea lion has external ears, small but visible. It can also rotate its rear flippers forward to walk on land and even climb over rocks. In the water it is a true athlete: it swims at almost forty kilometers per hour and dives to more than two hundred fifty meters deep. Its whiskers are so sensitive that they detect the vibrations of a fish swimming nearby. After years of hunting, its populations have recovered thanks to protection. But pollution and fishing nets remain a danger. Taking care of the sea means taking care of them.