Two seal pups dive back into the sea after California rescue

Two 6-month-old elephant seal pups have been released back into the Pacific Ocean after being treated at a rehabilitation center near Los Angeles.

The Coast Guard says the pups were taken to secluded Smugglers Cove near Santa Cruz Island and released into open water Tuesday.

Michael Remski cared for the animals at the California Wildlife Center rehabilitation facility in Calabasas. He says the pups were tentative at first, but after about 30 seconds, they decided to jump in.

The pups were found off the coast of Malibu in March, struggling to feed themselves. Remski says they are now heavier, and with months of practice catching fish, they are likely to be able to thrive in the wild.

© 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Citation: Two seal pups dive back into the sea after California rescue (2016, July 13) retrieved 19 April 2024 from https://phys.org/news/2016-07-pups-sea-california.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.

Explore further

Sea lion strandings: The view from the rookery

11 shares

Feedback to editors