This past year, up and down the California coastline, rescue workers have been rushing to the aid of sea lion pups that are starving and injured.
We have now learned that since this high mortality event started, over 3,000 sea lion pups have been found washed ashore on the California coastline.
Author and zoologist Dr. Grey Stafford spoke with the Fox 10 News in Phoenix, Arizona about this crisis.
FOX 10 News | fox10phoenix.com
One of the troubling points that Dr. Stafford notes is that right now researchers have theories but don’t know for certain what is causing this high mortality event and that knowing the cause may take years.
In the meantime, rescue organizations have been swamped in California as the work tirelessly to keep up with demand.
So far in 2015, SeaWorld San Diego has rescued nearly 800 sea lions.
In the interview, Dr. Stafford tries to frame the enormity of providing care for 800 sea lions. “They are doing amazing job, it is around the clock work – feeding them, triaging them and treating them for illnesses,” said Stafford. He adds, “it is expensive, at Wildlife World Zoo and Aquarium and it costs us $75 a day to feed our three sea lions, so you can imagine the cost of feeding 800 sea lions.”
This news, along with reports about dolphins deaths related to the California oil spill, is very timely as animal rights zealots recently held their annual “Empty the Tanks.” Activists demonstrated around the world demanding that zoological facilities close down.
The people demanding the closure of zoos and aquariums that care for marine life are not involved in the California oil spill rescue and recovery efforts and they are not caring for the sea lions being rescued up and down the California coast.
While it is tragic that over 3,000 sea lions have washed ashore so far in this high mortality event, we are grateful that there are zoological facilities in California like SeaWorld in San Diego and Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo who can answer the call when animals are in need.