麻豆传媒映画

The sea lion chomped the sturgeon in half. Photograph By Gina Gerl Imaging

The right place happened to be the back deck of her home, which overlooks the Fraser River near Jellicoe Street in the River District.

Gina, who did not want her last name published, told the Courier she was left 鈥渇labbergasted鈥� after snapping the photos.

She said she was looking out from her window at the river about 10am on Saturday, Feb. 16, when she spotted thrashing in the water at quite a distance and ran to grab her camera and a coat off the coffee table.

At first, all she could see was a large black figure rounding in and out of the water at a variety of heights and directions.

Having recently been out taking photos of eagles, Gina鈥檚 camera was luckily already set up with a zoom lens (Nikon D750 with a 1.8 70-200mm) and she could start clicking right away.

鈥淏y the time I grabbed a coat and camera the scene had calmed down somewhat,鈥� she said.

鈥淚 moved closer and through my lens I could see I was watching a sea lion and a large black and white patterned fish.鈥�

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Gina estimated the white sturgeon, an endangered fish which is strictly catch and release, was about 4 to 4.5 feet long.

The Department of Fisheries website states the white sturgeon ", with some individuals reported at over six metres in length and 100 years of age."

The DFO site also says white sturgeon are found only in western North America, and within Canada they are unique to B.C., and are found in the Fraser and Columbia river systems.

Gina watched on and captured the moments of the sea lion biting the sturgeon in two and tossing it into the air like a kitten with a toy.

鈥淚 followed and photographed the pair tussling and travelling westward toward Knight Street Bridge for about half a kilometre. By then, there was not much left of the fish,鈥� she said.

After the sea lion was done eating, she said the eagles and seagulls swooped in for the scraps.

鈥淭he gulls did manage to scavenge a few morsels, but the eagles flew off hungry,鈥� she said.

Gina said she had lived in the River District for over two decades and had never seen a sea lion in the river, but sometimes noticed large fish jump out of the water.

鈥淚 was just looking out the window and I saw something really cool,鈥� she said.

鈥淚鈥檝e lived here for about 23 years and it鈥檚 the first time I鈥檝e seen anything like it.鈥�

Having extensively travelled, Gina said she enjoyed the thrill of wildlife photography.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really exciting. Scenery shots are great, but you just look at them once and there鈥檚 nothing to them. These images really get your blood going,鈥� she said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 very challenging and something like that is so primal and it just reminds us of the cycle of life.鈥�

Gina said the Department of Fisheries and Oceans had shown great interest in her images.

鈥淒epartment of Fisheries and the scientists are really excited about it,鈥� she said.

鈥淚t is more rare than I realized.鈥�

DFO have been contacted for comment. More of Gina's images can be found at

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