SCIENCE WORLD REPORT - PUPS WASHED ASHORE by Catherine Griffin
Excerpts:
"While sea lion pups are usually weaned from their mothers in April, it seems that many of the young mammals have been separated from their parents earlier this year. In fact, it's estimated that about 45 percent of the pups that were born in June at island rookeries off the Southern California coast have now died...
The pups that have washed ashore tend to be extremely underweight and dehydrated. It's a miracle that they make it to the coast at all. That said, experts believe that the pups are using a combination of ocean currents and swimming to make the arduous journey...
Currently, the sea lion strandings are nearly three times higher than the historical average, and two weeks ago, the Pacific Marine Mammal Center declared a state of emergency due how many sick and stranded sea lions were being brought in.
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