REM Vancouver Aquarium Plans to send 10 Experts to Help Lessen Growing Crisis of Starving Sea Lion Pups in California

Hundreds of starving sea lion pups are washing up along the coast in California. Seeing the troublesome situation, the Vancouver Aquarium is sending its experts to the spot.

The plan is to send 10 trained staff members from its marine mammal rescue centre to California. Main aim behind the move is to lessen the increasing crisis. Over the last few months, around 2,000 sea lions have been stranded on California's beaches.

Nearby rescue facilities are now struggling to handle the situation. Martin Haulena, a Vancouver Aquarium veterinarian, said that the rescue centers need help, as they require veterinary technologists who can take blood samples and perform diagnostic tests.

Help is also needed to quickly assess a large number of sick sea lions. Experts affirmed that it is not uncommon for sea lion pups to wash ashore after separating from their mothers. But the matter of concern is that the number of affected pups in California is five times more this year than in 2013, which was considered as a bad season.

Experts have been trying to gauge the reasons behind the same. As per them, warmer waters due to a mild El Nino weather pattern are having an effect on sea lion birthing grounds off the southern California coast.

Haulena was of the view that the warm water has an impact on sea lions food supply as well. He said that most difficult situation is for the animals that about to be weaned. It would not be wrong to affirm that it is a perfect storm for these little animals.

The rescued pups will require a lot of fluids, nutrition and acute care before they can be released back into the wild. But there will be many among them that will require months of rehabilitation.