A trio ofadorable sea lions pupswas released back into the sea off Redondo Beach Friday after weeks in the care of rescuers who discovered them separated from their mother.
The three pups — Knoxie, Happy and Halfpipe — were found emaciated when rescuers from theMarine Mammal Care Centerfound them atManhattan Beach, Dockweiler Beachand Will Rogers State Beach in late January and early February.
“They’re more or lessrediscovering the ocean today,” Marine Mammal Care Center Executive Director John Warner told The Post. “To them, it looks scary.”
And there’s reason to be afraid — as the sea lions are returning to increasingly dangerous territory.
The animals have been found shot and maimed in what veterinarians warned is a growing pattern of violence.
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The Postfirst reportedthat sea lions have been washing up across Southern California with bullets lodged in their skulls, pellets in their hearts, their jaws blown apart and spines snapped.
The cases stretch across the coastline, from Redondo Beach and Santa Monica to Marina del Rey and the Port of Los Angeles, and investigators believe the violence is not isolated.
Now, there’s a growing fear that the very animals released Friday could become the next victims.
“What we don’t want is the three animals released today actually come back before a year because they encounter the same fate,” Warner said.
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
