California sea lions, offshore Mexico, Pacific Ocean Sep 12, 2026

A day at the beach is rarely quiet when California sea lions are around. With their booming barks, playful personalities and a knack for stealing the spotlight, these marine mammals know how to put on a show.

© Henley Spiers/Nature Picture Library

palette

Today in History

A different kind of toucan
Sep. 12, 2023North Sea at sunset, Norddorf, Germany
Sep. 12, 2024World Dolphin Day
Sep. 12, 2025World Dolphin Day

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Feb. 7, 2026Salar de Uyuni salt flats in Bolivia
May 13, 2026Arch and Milky Way, Alabama Hills, Sierra Nevada, California, USA
Spring is coming
Bring the king cakes
Sep. 4, 2025The 50th Toronto International Film Festival
Oct. 31, 2023Halloween
Dec. 2, 2025Whistler, British Columbia
Owl be seeing you ... somewhere!
Apr. 13, 2026International Dark Sky Week
Feb. 3, 2026Emerald Bay and Fannette Island, Lake Tahoe, California, United States
A postcard-perfect landscape
Dec. 25, 2023Christmas Day
Unbe-leaf-able
Sep. 9, 2023Ayutthaya Historical Park, Thailand
Park of the Monsters
Connecting the dots
Jul 27, 2026Tiffany Dome, Chicago Cultural Centre, Illinois, United States
Sep. 1, 2023Turkey Tail Mushroom
Happy New Year’s from down under
Nov. 10, 2023Badlands National Park anniversary
Out of this world
Nov. 29, 2023Rockefeller Centre Christmas tree lighting
Dare to delve into this dense swamp
Oct. 15, 2025National Mushroom Day
The road less taken?
Jun 3, 2026World Bicycle Day
Jun. 12, 2025Big Bend National Park, Texas, United States
Happy Thanksgiving!
Mar. 31, 2026Paradise Cave, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam
Up and away!