This female yearling sea lion looked like a baby she was so small. She's actually about one and a half years old and should weigh about 90 lbs. We observed her for 2 days and realized she hadn't made any effort to go out and hunt for food because she was in exactly the same place both days. It seemed she had just given up. Food sources have been hard to find for all the younger sea lions this year because of the warmer water surface temperatures. The fish move out to deeper, colder water and the small sea lions can't go that far. Upon assessment, she was very underweight (43 lbs.), dehydrated, lethargic and had a bloated stomach. We made the decision to make a rescue attempt, even though she was in a very tough place to get into and out of. After more than an hour of climbing over rocks, the rescue was complete. She was transferred to the Marine Mammal Care Center in San Pedro for medical assistance and rehabilitation. Her first week was pretty tough, but she is now eating on her own and gaining weight. If all continues to go well, she will be returning to the ocean soon with a second chance at life! Go Whitney!
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