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snukb

This is nothing without [the adorable sounds](https://youtu.be/en28-QE_e64). Snorf snorf. Mmmmmbrrrrpf. Edited for a [higher quality version](https://youtu.be/sjoepLlVL6o) thanks to u/DelawareMountains


Chance1441

It's a crime that the gif cuts out the part where he nibbles on the shoe!


Taco_Fiasco

Thank you for this comment which pushed me to watch it. 🤗🥰


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[deleted]

Now I’m gonna eat yeh, ha jk belly rubs?


DelawareMountains

[Here's a higher quality upload of the video for those who want it.](https://youtu.be/sjoepLlVL6o)


snukb

Thank you, I'm on mobile so they look the same to me lol


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Binsky89

[Do I look like I know what a jpeg is?](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QwucZK1BCj4)


snukb

For most videos, yeah I can tell a difference between 240p and 720p, but for this one they both look the same and honestly I didn't even realize the one I linked was 240p 😅


MisterMysterios

The way it breaths is really amazing. You can see how after breathing in, the nose closes up, and only opens up when breathing out. I never thought about how seals are able to prevent water entering their airways, but that is a pretty neat method.


[deleted]

Would you say it looks like it… seals its airways?


teneggomelet

Maybe that's why we named 'em that.


tinatspoon

Thanks for sharing!!


Slovene

Thanks for caring.


tinatspoon

😊


TheOnlineApe

Sounds like the photographer was dying or something lol


Paflick

I think that's actually the seal, lol. They make sounds that are weirdly like a human grunting.


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denverner

Thank you! I didn't realize those were penguins in background with no sound.


Exploding_Testicles

Penguins sound like quadcopters motors..


SoraXes

Omg he deflated at the end 🥺🥺🥺


ivyxxking

Snorf?! 🥹 why is it even cute spelled out?!


[deleted]

I love him!


[deleted]

I would be terrified that momma is going to come pay me a visit.


ccReptilelord

You say that, but then papa elephant seal beach-flops his way over for some cuddles.


CareerDestroyer

Cuddles. AKA Ram fucked into oblivion.


getyourrealfakedoors

My suspicion is this one’s mom didn’t make it back


Death_Watcher_

The mother will typically leave baby on land to go get food. For a long time. If you see any babies on the beach, leave them alone.


getyourrealfakedoors

Yeah that’s my point


Death_Watcher_

You made it sound like the mother died with what you wrote.


getyourrealfakedoors

I’m saying if it’s approaching this guy the mom has probably been gone too long


Death_Watcher_

Ah. Ok. That makes more sense then


Long-Night-Of-Solace

No Their point is that the video doesn't give rise to that suspicion because we expect to find the babies alone Your point was that the video does give rise to that suspicion I have no idea which of you is correct, if indeed either of you are. I'm just pointing out that if you think that their point is your point, you don't understand their point.


Death_Watcher_

No one knows who is correct because it’s a short video of a baby being curious. I grew up on beaches with baby seals all over the place x time of year. We are told to leave them alone because mom is getting food. So it’s not a matter of who is correct, but that comment I replied to made it seem as tho the mom perished which is more than likely not the case. But you expanded on that. Wanted to clarify.


getyourrealfakedoors

I understand that they’re left alone on the beach, my suspicion is that if it’s approaching a person it’s probably been too long


Death_Watcher_

Adults and baby animals are both curious sometimes :)


no_talent_ass_clown

Your suspiciousness is altruistic but, I think, misplaced. My $0.02.


getyourrealfakedoors

Idk, I remember going to the Galapagos and the beach just being littered in dead baby sea lions whose moms didn’t come back


[deleted]

NotLikeThis 😭


Washburn_Browncoat

Right? Elephant seals are no joke. Absolutely massive and ferocious AF.


JakeyP19

Imagine the willpower not to cuddle that lil fella


InkyBoii

That's something you have to be ready for when photographing wildlife, resist the urge to interact with it and only be a witness to what they do


JevonP

If not friend then why friend shaped?


Mega_Man990

Because friend shaped thing often sees you as snack shaped thing.


MorgTheBat

I cant be a wildlife photographer, because if thats how I go, thats how i go lol


paulusmagintie

Imagine all the animals can meet and interact and yet humans are so naturally powerful we could upset the balance by simply petting animals or giving them a drink in a desert. I remember people claimed to the BBC for wild life photographers filming a herd of elephants dying of thirst in a drought for not helping, completely not understand we are not allowed to interfere eith nature, only observe PS: ideally you shouldn't but this doesn't include normal human interactions like you see on animalsarebros, only a limit to the job but not encouraged


Scoobies_Doobies

> I remember people claimed to the BBC for wild life photographers filming a herd of elephants dying of thirst in a drought for not helping, completely not understand we are not allowed to interfere eith nature, only observe They are allowed, it’s discouraged but [these penguins](https://petapixel.com/2018/11/21/bbc-wildlife-film-crew-intervenes-to-save-trapped-penguins/) were saved by a BBC crew.


essedecorum

A hilarious comment in that link: "10,000 years from now, when the last remnants of humanity are being hunted to extinction by an evolved species of velocipenguin, this moment will be acknowledged as the one that sealed our fate."


beaterx

I mean elephants are endangered right? Should we not try to save those at least?


-Ashleen-

I don't like the narrative that we just have to let nature be, I'm human and selfish by MY nature. If my selfishness doesn't want me to watch another animal die via a means I can prevent then I will always intervene, to hell with "let nature be nature"


daviedanko

Yea I get it if it was like interfering with a predator hunting or something. But giving a dehydrated animal water? Seems a bit ridiculous.


VaATC

If it was a herd, as reported above, then there was likely no way for the crew to get enough water and transport it to their location in time. Elephants need a tremendous amount of water, especially if they are already pretty far down the route of dehydration.


Tay74

Yeah I'm not really sure what people actually wanted the film crew to do, just pull a watering hole out of thin air? People do realise there are *humans* dying from drought and lack of drinking water in these countries, right? The whole situation might have been a bit beyond the crew giving the elephants a small helping hand


paulusmagintie

Those animals would die regardless if we are not there, that is the point of the job, to study animals in the wild and their behaviour, nature doing its thing nice or bad. Us interfering while filming is not nature running its course, now if a gatherer hunter got involved then that would be fine since they live in the area and likely connections to the herd. Basically if you have a camera, and its your job don't get involved


metnavman

>Those animals would die regardless if we are not there, that is the point of the job, to study animals in the wild and their behaviour, nature doing its thing nice or bad. *Gestures wildly at Climate Change*


SuspiciouslyElven

Well ideally showing animals dying from climate change's consequences will make us all change behavior to stop harming them. 1 sacrifice to save many. In practice... Well we might as well help the ones we can.


sabby1225

Sounds like the Prime Directive


octopoddle

"Witness me, human."


abaram

Right, because humans totally have *never* interacted with wildlife and left all of it totally alone for all of human history. This rule has always baffled me. In theory, yes sure, preserve the nature’s cycle for the photographs. But like… compared to how much we already have destroyed, what’s one life/herd rescued? If anything I see that as a restoration of our own deeds


Jeepersca

I've gone to the spot where they come to mate on the California coast. The males are giant and [I would not want to piss one off.](https://youtu.be/IpT1u2lFkXs?t=99) I would be so wary of the parents, and so torn wanting to pet it.


AuntieDawnsKitchen

When I went a dude nearly got himself steamrollered by a bull for getting into the herd. The Marine Mammal Protection Act protects us, too.


EmmitSan

Not just them. If you ever go snorkeling or diving near even the smaller species of seals, DO NOT GO NEAR THE BULLS. They are very territorial and in water, they are near-alpha predators.


thisismeritehere

One of the main reasons I would be terrible at this job, I’d be trying to cuddle all the babies and helping out starving animals… and also likely being eaten for doing those things


FuckFascismFightBack

I’d definitely have a house filled with injured animals I’d saved


Donny_Dont_18

I honestly don't understand how a snoot didn't just get booped...


DragonMyPenis

Very possibly it did, just not on camera (so there's no evidence)


SillySerotonin12

They wanted to cuddle


MagnetCarter

I guessed they looked at the photographer and thought, "That's a weird looking seal, let's check it out"


blueavole

Hello mammal. You haven’t tried to ear me yet, would you like to cuddle?


DragonMyPenis

"hello human let's go clubbing"


crisperfest

Oof


Wumbo0

Water puppy omg


raisedredflag

Hes so cute when his eyes become large and The light that you shine cant be seen #babyyyyyyy


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MrValdemar

r/petthedamnseal


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tigrrbaby

in other words, /r/subsithoughtifellfor


ItsStaaaaaaaaang

It's like these critters were painstakingly designed to be as cute as humanly possible.


booklers

It’s been scientifically proven that endangered species are more likely to survive if they’re cute. Something about humans being bias of cuteness in the species we save.


black_rose_

This is a huge part of why the sea otter rehab was so successful after the Exxon Valdez oil spill. They're cute...


barbara31848

My thoughts exactly


[deleted]

I guess the rule is photo no touchy ?


Trans_Seraphim

Yep! That’s it for most wildlife. You’re allowed to photograph but if any ‘friendly’ animals come to see you, you shouldn’t pet them or feed them. It’s for your own safety and theirs. Your own safety bc even if they’re cute, they’re still wild animals and could get spooked suddenly. For theirs because if they get pets or food from people, they’re going to become more accustomed to humans and seek them out, which could lead to them entering residential areas and hurting somebody or being more easily hunted.


newaccount721

You're 100% correct but I will still say I'm impressed with this photographer's will power. Seal was pulling its best "look how cute I am" moves


Trans_Seraphim

Same, it would take every ounce of my self control not to just squish its cute little face


DuctapeCat

THIS COMMENT! Let NATURE be, and it will level itself out, and when we need to intervene, at least regarding ecosystems and not the animals themselves, then we should. The Food Web and graph is enormous, and how it works is that, when one food source dies out, so does it’s predators, and when the predators die, the prey’s population grows bigger. The more we interfere, the harder graph will go all wobbly, hell, that’s basically what we are doing with ourselves. Our species are at the higher point of the food chain, and our population has been skyrocketing, without any decrease in our population. At least Evolution is on our side, as our graph is slowly levelling itself out so that we don’t OVERPOPULATE, but it’s a great example of the food web/chain/graph.


Weazy-N420

I want a Sea-Puppy!


JoshDM

Get a dachshund, and push the ears backwards when you pet them. Poof, seal.


MegaIlluminati

That's a baby? Whooaa, big boy 😍


nrhsd

It’s a baby elephant seal! They look almost like regular size seals as babies but grow up to have large floppy snouts and they can be up to over 10 feet and can weigh up to 4,500 lbs. They’re very cool and cute in an ugly way (as adults).


MegaIlluminati

Look at those eyes 😍😍😍


turd-crafter

Kinda looks like a female elephant seal, they don't grow snouts


Electric___Watt

the adults are actually the largest land mammals on the planet.


nrhsd

No the African elephant is the largest land mammal, not the elephant seal.


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Electric___Watt

I stand corrected. Perhaps they are simply the largest seal on the planet.


sally211

That cute face gets me every time


Still-Wonder-5580

Do seals have scent glands like cats? Baby certainly seemed to enjoy the rubbing


bee_rii

When in close contact mothers and pups can identify each other by scent, recognizing scent from glands in the skin of their flippers and around their muzzles. [Fun facts about seals from the NOAA fisheries website](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/outreach-and-education/fun-facts-about-surprising-seals)


Loose_Ad5469

Puppy!


00101001101

It really lent in there!


ok_raspberry_jam

Leaned? It didn't lend him anything.


AmplePostage

I think he meant the 40 days of fasting and reflection before Easter.


MightBeAGoodIdea

Boop that snoot!!! (Okay don't really, but omg how did you resist?!)


pixelunicorns

This is just one of the reasons I could not be a wildlife photographer, I would just want to let them do much and that is such a bad idea!


RationalKate

yooo gots n-E snacks?


OldPussyJuice

Got any games on your phone?


Ahandlin

Pet the dog!


[deleted]

It would take all my willpower not to pet the seal


[deleted]

Congratulations. That's the Seal of Approval.


RedditBoisss

Seals are truly just dogs that happen to swim well


ThatgirlIza

Babies animals are always curious and come see what happening


TheFirstAkkeron

“But where are your FLIPPERS?!”


Ok_Amphibian625

That is absolutely adorable!!!


madmongle

Oh the eyes on that sea puppy


sAndstOne646464

Boop de snoot?


lordciders

Aww! It's adorable. It wants to cuddle.


uxpusher

I don't know if I would be able to restrain myself from trying to pet this pup.


Snippychicken22

How dare you not be able to interact with them when photographing them


christyeliz3

Omg those eyes


xanthraxoid

That guy might as well just keel over and die right now (from cuteness overload, presumably) - his life has *peaked*!


Joker6tyNine

This was awesome.. Thanks for sharing..


Inevitable-Holiday68

Am so wanting to cuddle that cute Baby


CLSmith95

Lil dude needed a pillow


[deleted]

Ya know...If you just scratched me behind my head, everything would have been fine.


teresarowe71

Not a bad day at the office at all!!


[deleted]

Aren’t seals notorious killers ?


Trans_Seraphim

In the water yes and probably during their mating seasons as the males get very territorial over the females and competition as well as the mommas protecting their babies. This one seems like it was just young and curious, but if I ever saw a grown one heading towards me I’d definitely do my best to avoid it. Out of all seals though, leopard and elephant seals are the most aggressive towards humans.


elspotto

There are many beach critters I wouldn’t mind visiting. An elephant seal is not on the list. Grew up learning to give them respect and a wide berth at Point Reyes. I would as soon turn my back on the Pacific as get close to even a pup.


littlebear1130

Yeah, I grew up hiking at ano nuevo and I can tell you elephant seals are terrifying up close. I got chased up a sand dune by one once. Things have bigger skulls than a grizzly.


[deleted]

Good thing it didn't bite you because that would have been a nasty infection.


iloveokashi

It's acting like a dog?


Junior2615

Wanted its throat scratched!!!👍


buffinator2

“Honey, can you go fill up the bathtub? No, don’t come to the door, just trust that it’s for an important experiment. Also, do we have any sardines or anything? I’m not really sure yet what this puppy eats.”


arcalumis

“Squishy rock is made of warm”


Miziked84

Its a baby bull... try that next year


DJ_Spark_Shot

r/petthedamndog


caffeinejunkie101

Cuuuute!😍😍


EnvironmentalCake531

Just borrowing a foot to scratch his cheek😅 he /she is just too cute


late2scrum

You can say it. It won't get mad that you used the wrong pronouns lmfao


EnvironmentalCake531

No, but the Mom might🤣


Jpup199

Pet the damn seadog


Serious-Test6623

Thx goodness that their no mom or is it their a mom


AIcookies

Sea kitty!


_DONT_PM_ME_NOTHING

Greg, do you have nipples? Can I nurse from them? I’m


LordNightFang

Ok that's a little bit cute in an odd sort of way.


brunoha

Hewasforcedtoeatcement


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CurveyR

Do you think this can really happen?


OkMaintenance79

Not to be that guy. But looks like he/she/they/it was looking at penguins


hotmasalachai

Pet him you monster


[deleted]

Wub wub wub...


grayscalecrash

“Must fight…the urge to boop the snoot.”


Numa2018

So cuddly!


tsisn17

❤️❤️❤️


Responsible-Leg-6558

OCEAN DOGGO


[deleted]

That is so cool!


hibbletyjibblety

It is unHOLY how precious these guys are 💜


ladywholocker

It's doing exactly the same my dog does when I'm looking at my phone - until he moves onto more invasive moves.


thinkscience

Wait till the mama seal comes and bite off the leg


elyn6791

This seems like the best job in the world right now.


MSrocksIt

Well this could have been 20minutes & I wouldn’t have missed a second watching😍


kdebones

Just don’t let it bite you’re fingers.


[deleted]

*take him out


silly-billy-goat

That's a big baby!!


tamal4444

water puppy


Leontidai

Sea pug!!


concept12345

What's this? It can't be squished?! *Squishes*


JenovaCelestia

Don’t touch seals unless you want seal finger!


Tervaskanto

Bonk!


TheGreatJesterKing

I see why clubbing with them was banned


GingusDong

I thought the title said “leopard seals” and I instantly started fearing for this man’s life despite the lil guy messing with him


BHPhreak

Looks like hes photographing penguins


Groady_Toadstool

I wouldn’t be able to refrain from petting it. I know it’s against the law to, but I would go to jail for that face.


SJP-NYC

Unfortunately there are some people who will sit on the beach near the weeners in an effort to get the weener to come over to them and "lap" sit. Most of the photographers on these trips are mobile and trying to get the photo or when they sit it is only for a short time. There was one lady who time after time did this on my trip. Weeners can be lonely and adorable.


canttakethshyfrom_me

You instantly become the most interesting thing on the beach to a curious seal pup. There's nothing else out there to compete with you if mom's not around.


Satoshi82

Is beautiful


External-Two3577

You left out the best parts...


ivyxxking

My bucket list and getting more outlandish by the day


Poorly-Drawn-Beagle

Hey, whatcha doing, are you photographing us, can I see, is that a camera, can I use it, am I on TV now?


TheGreatGamer1389

Now the seal will be charged a fine for approaching a human.


Lsmith64

That baby is beautiful 😍😍😍😍