In March of 2015, an unusually high number
of sea lions pups were stranded on California beaches during an Unusual Mortality Event (UME), a sad phenomenon that is reaching a record - breaking high.
The results refocus the debate on the causes
of sea lion pup weight loss from episodic stresses associated with El Niño years to a decadal - long trend of declining forage quality in the waters around the California Channel Island rookeries, the researchers wrote.
However, the close correlation between the fish available and the weight
of sea lion pups provides «compelling evidence of a food limitation effect on the weight of dependent pups,» the scientists wrote.
«Food limitation linked to record California sea lion pup strandings: New research shows a decade - long decline of sardines and anchovy associated with poor condition
of sea lion pups.»
Scientists combined the results
of sea lion pup counts in the Channel Islands, aerial surveys of sea lion rookeries, survival rates and other information to reconstruct the growth of the sea lion population from 1975 to 2014.
Only half the usual number
of sea lion pups were born off the California coast in 2015, Johnson said.
Spring bursts with gardens filled with over a thousand tulips, lilies and daffodils, rhododendrons and azaleas, the annual whale migration north, the birth
of sea lion pups offshore, gourmet breakfast, fresh abalone in the afternoon, and nights in the hot tub watching brilliant sunsets.
Not exact matches
I think that hanging out in a heavily touristed area
of San Francisco's Embarcadero means that these California
sea lions — one mature individual and one
pup — qualify as urban wildlife.
In this saltwater bay, Liittschwager photographed some
of the smallest and largest types
of life in his book, from plankton and worm and crab larvae all the way up to a
sea lion pup and this Pacific harbour seal
pup (Phoca vitulina).
The scientists did not study how changes in fish species affect the composition and quality
of milk that mother
sea lions feed their
pups, which affects the growth
of the
pups.
«Given the likelihood that the California
sea lion population is approaching carrying capacity, density - dependent effects such as food limitation (and stranding)
of pups may be a long - term consequence
of a rebuilt
sea lion population during periods
of low abundance
of high - quality forage,» the scientists wrote.
Large numbers
of California
sea lion pups have flooded animal rescue centers in Southern California in the past few years.
Though the marine mammals were captured from the wild in the early years
of the program, since the late 1980s, the program has bred its dolphins in - house at its training facility in San Diego and buys young
sea lion pups from marine parks, said Mark Xitco, who heads up all the marine mammal training and care for the program.
Also making a comeback, after years
of hunting, are the thousands
of pinnipeds (seals and
sea lions) that breed,
pup, and haul out on the island's 27 miles
of isolated coastline.
A silky brown California
sea lion pup was rescued Wednesday morning after being found on the side
of the road near Fort Funston in San Francisco.
Over the coming months, as seals and
sea lions haul out on beaches and give birth to
pups up and down the California coast, the Marine Mammal Center is looking for volunteers to care for a likely onslaught
of young animals that need help.
On Tuesday we told you the story
of Hoppie the
sea lion pup's rescue and rehabilitation, but the truth is the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito is on the brink
of having more wayward mammals in need than ever before.
This tiny
sea lion pup owes his life to the National Park Ranger who spotted him trying to cross a lane
of traffic in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
But
sea lion mothers are having trouble finding enough food to sustain themselves and the
pups they are nursing, so many
of these young animals are left starving on the islands for days at a time.
Over the next few weeks, marine biologists say more elephant seal
pups, harbor seal
pups, and
sea lion pups will start showing up along the shores
of San Luis Obispo County.
The Marine Mammal Center is treating an unprecedented number
of patients this year, as starving
sea lion pups are stranding all along the coast
of California.
California
sea lion crisis has deepened as the number
of abandoned, sickly
pups continues to increase and the Pacific Ocean becomes warmer.
Watch the inspirational video
of Percevero and other
sea lion pups being released at Chimney Rock:
The Marine Mammal Center is facing a crisis, with a huge influx
of sick
sea lion pups coming in to the facility in the last few weeks.
But after six weeks
of care, he had doubled in size and was released back to the wild along with six other healthy
sea lion pups.
There is also a secondary peak in February, when the
sea lion pups of the year start getting into the water.
More recent reports
of high
pup production (up to 5000
pups) and increase in colonies size seem unlikely: given the scarce breeding outside
of Sea Lion Island, we think that the whole population size may be significantly smaller.
Population changes
of seal and
sea lion species at the Channel Islands, including the recent high abandonment rate of California sea lion pups, was discussed by marine biologist Dr. Brent Stewart during the May From Shore to Sea lectu
sea lion species at the Channel Islands, including the recent high abandonment rate
of California
sea lion pups, was discussed by marine biologist Dr. Brent Stewart during the May From Shore to Sea lectu
sea lion pups, was discussed by marine biologist Dr. Brent Stewart during the May From Shore to
Sea lectu
Sea lecture.
Staggering populations
of over 70,000 California
sea lions, 5,000 northern fur seals, 50,000 northern elephant seals and 1,100 harbor seals breed and
pup on the island each year.
On this route, the tall ship heads out from Channel Islands Harbor to Anacapa, where passengers are likely to see pods
of dolphins along the way as well as seals and
sea lions with their
pups in the cliffs at the base
of the island.
Contrasting effects
of heterozygosity on survival and hookworm resistance in California
sea lion pups.
Rehabilitation and post-release monitoring
of steller
sea lion pups raised in captivity.
Their network
of volunteers and workers began bringing in distressed
sea lion pups last January rather than, as usual, in summer.
Free - feeding is how we feed most
of the animals at the Center, including weaned
pups, California
sea lions, northern and Guadalupe fur seals, and adult harbor seals.
Current prevalence
of adult Uncinaria spp. in northern fur seal (Callorhinus ursinus) and California
sea lion (Zalophus californianus)
pups on San Miguel Island, California, with notes on the biology
of these hookworms.
Molecular and serologic detection
of leptospirosis in California
sea lion pups.
These
pups are survivors
of California's current unusual mortality event (UME), which has left more than 3,000 starving
sea lions along California's beaches this year alone.
But our first California
sea lion pup of the 2015
pupping season actually arrived last year — on December 1.
Typically, a California
sea lion his age would be with his mother on the Channel Islands, a protected area that serves as the primary rookery for these animals, where thousands
of mother
sea lions give birth and nurse their
pups for 10 - 11 months.
We paddled passed a pod
of dolphins and saw a
sea lion and
pup resting on shore before we made camp on an unnamed sand - duned island.
As another great feature
of Gardner Bay, this is where
sea lions often come with their
pups.