Wired Science, March 15, 2013 (
Emphasis Added):
[...] In late January, scientists surveying Channel Island sea lion
rookeries reported something worrying: Pups out there were in bad shape.
[...] Now, hundreds of these little animals have been admitted to
rescue centers between Santa Barbara and San Diego. For a
non-El Niño year,
the numbers are much too high, too early. Something is going badly
wrong offshore, and no one knows what it is yet. “We’re in the process
of trying to understand what is actually causing this,” said Sharon
Melin, a wildlife biologist with the National Fisheries Service. “The
stranding centers in Southern California are being inundated with
animals. It hasn’t hit the northern centers yet.” As of Mar. 13, 517
pups had been admitted to five Southern California rescue centers. That
total is higher than the total for some entire years, said Sarah Wilkin,
regional strandings coordinator with the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration. “And we’re only two months and a week in.”
[...] The pace of admissions is still accelerating, Wilkin said, noting
that both Los Angeles County and Orange County admissions doubled last
week. [...] “We anticipate it will only get worse in the coming months,”
Melin said. [...]
h/t Anonymous tip
KION,
March 14, 2013: Rescue groups along the Central Coast are scrambling to
take care of dozens of baby sea lions that have been found over the
last couple of weeks. [...] Biologists are still investigating why the
malnourished sea lion pups are stranding. Moss Landing Marine
Laboratories Trainer, Stefani Skrovan said there could be a lack of food
available and El Nino could be the reason why all the animals are
showing up sick and starved. [...] NOAA Researchers said more than 517
emaciated sea lions have been found in Southern California and 39 have
been picked up along the Central Coast. [...]
Marine Mammal Center Manager Sue Andrews: “This year they are for
some reason coming out of the rookery underweight, underfed and
emaciated, low energy some with already having infection.”
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