Oceanside CA- Sea World sent OsideNews an update on the condition of the Sea Lion pup rescued yesterday by Oceanside Lifeguards at the harbor. In all, the Sea World Wildlife Rescue team recovered three sea lions. Two from Oceanside and one in La Jolla.
The update, from Sea World, for the pup from yesterdays story follows:
The male sea lion pup was found severely malnourished and dehydrated (same condition as the La Jolla animal), had some swelling and wounds to the face; not sure of cause, weighs about 22 pounds (should weigh about 55 pounds at this age). The animal is being stabilized and treated with preventive antibiotics; we will give fluids and nourishment once the animal is stabilized.
The second sea lion was a sub- adult female (sub-adult means she’s approximately 7 or 8 years old) of good body weight but suffering from tremors and disorientation. This animal is being monitored and we are flushing her system (she may have domoic acid toxicity; domoic acid is a naturally-occurring toxin that occurs in the algae blooms off our coast; it starts in the algae; the bait fish eat the algae and then become carriers and then the seals and sea lions eat the bait fish and become affected).
The third in La Jolla was the same as the pup in Oceanside; a male sea lion pup, found severely malnourished and dehydrated, also had some swelling and wounds to the face (not sure of cause), weighs about 22 pounds (should weigh about 55 pounds at this age). This animal is being stabilized and treated with preventive antibiotics; we will give fluids and nourishment once the animal is stabilized.
Oceanside Lifeguard Captain, Bill Curtis said the beachings happen more frequently this time of year as the pups are getting old enough for the mothers to start sending the pups out on their own.
We will continue to update you as we receive them.