Long Beach Aquarium Sea Lions Die of Heat Exhaustion
I am very unhappy about this:
Two sea lions that died at the Aquarium of the Pacific apparently succumbed to heat exhaustion, aquarium President and CEO Jerry Schubel said Monday.
Kona, 4, and her 4-week-old pup died in their shaded nursery at the Long Beach facility Saturday afternoon. Both had above-normal liver temperatures and signs of thermal shock in their other internal organs, Schubel said.
We are members of the Aquarium and were there on the last day that the baby sea lion was available for public viewing. My wife and I remarked to each other that the mother seemed very uncomfortable. She was being kept on dry concrete, supposedly so she could “bond” with her pup. But she kept struggling like she wanted to be in the water. “Can’t they bond in the water?” I asked my wife. She nodded in puzzled agreement.
We’re not experts on sea lions. But it looks like the Long Beach Aquarium isn’t either.
It’s very sad, and seemingly unnecessary.
UPDATE: A commenter says baby sea lions can’t swim. So I guess the option of letting them both in the water wasn’t available. All I can tell you is that the mother looked distinctively uncomfortable when we saw her. She seemed to be trying to find a hole in the wall separating her from the water just next door.
Could be another unforeseen effect of anthropomorphizing animals. In Newport Beach, another culture clash: href=”http://www.dailypilot.com/opinion/story/48015p-73204c.html”>
Patricia (2cc180) — 7/4/2006 @ 7:51 amIn nature I doubt that mothers “bond” with their off spring, I suspect they do what their instincts tell them, period.
Why does it not surprise me that we would try to project our ideals on to animals, resulting in their detriment?
Dayna (3166cf) — 7/4/2006 @ 8:45 amActually baby sea lions can’t swim when they are born and it would have drowned. Thought you should know.
jacquelyn (62c678) — 7/4/2006 @ 9:15 amCouldn’t they bond in shallow water?
Couldn’t the same level of caution excercised by millions of parents that watch over their small children in wading pools have been expected of these professionals?
Christ, it sounds like I took better care of my potted plants during the hot weather than these folks did with these creatures.
TakeFive (2bf7bd) — 7/5/2006 @ 9:48 amTwo words of wisdom for a hot, dry day. Hose. Sprinkler.
That place needs to hire a consultant. Any 5 year-old will do.
Dusty (e28a9f) — 7/5/2006 @ 10:42 am