Sea lion pup emergency

Hundreds of Sick Sea Lion Pups Wash Ashore

A mysterious tide of California sea lion pups (Zalophus californianus) have been washing ashore in recent months, prompting one rescue facility to declare a state of emergency.

The Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach (map) has more than 80  sea lion pups in their care, an "alarming" number, the organization said on their website. On March 9 the facility took in 12 pups, the highest number of rescues recorded in a single day in the center's history.

Wired reported that as of March 13, 517 pups had been admitted to five Southern California rescue centers.

Most of the sea lion pups are severely malnourished, dehydrated, and underweight, requiring major intervention to get the mammals healthy enough to be released back into the wild.

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