Sea Lion Pup Starfish Queensland Twilight

Deep indigo water surrounds a young sea lion pup resting on a sandy shelf along the Queensland coast. The pup's wet, dark fur catches a faint rim of light that outlines its whiskers and snout. It holds a vibrant orange starfish between its front flippers, the creature's textured surface against the smooth skin of the animal. Fine plankton haze softens the background, blurring the distant kelp fronds that sway in the current. Shadows dominate the foreground, leaving only the edges of the pup and the starfish illuminated against the darkening blue. One grain of sand settles on the starfish's arm.