Meanwhile, in another part of the food chain

[squid-kun]

A swirl, a splash. And another day's meal in deceptively calm Pacific waters . . .

Link: http://www.sfgate.com/sports/outdoors...

[Ruth Lafler]

Ack! It's part of life in the sea, but still horrific to have to watch it happen to two pups you've worked hard to save.

I'm a docent at Elephant Seal breeding colony at Ano Nuevo, and we joke all the time about the area just off Ano Nuevo point (the third corner of the so-called "red triangle" -- a high density shark area bounded by Pt. Reyes, the Farallons and Ano Nuevo) being an all-you-can-eat seal buffet for sharks. And last winter some visitors actually saw a shark come part way out of the water to nab a seal in the rocky shallows.

But at least we don't work one-on-one up close with "our" seals. And we can comfort ourselves that larger seals (and presumably sea lions) eat ... small sharks! Although their favorite food, as squid-kun might know, is squid.

Not many herbivores in the ocean.