Newborn sea lion, mother successfully relocated from Santa Barbara Harbor to private beach
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The Channel Islands Marine & Wildlife Institute gave a happy update following the birth of a California sea lion pup at the Santa Barbara Harbor early Monday morning.
The mother sea lion gave birth to her male pup on a harbor launch ramp, a high-traffic location frequented by people, boats, cars, bikes and dogs.
From sunrise to past sunset over the next several days, team members with the Channel Islands Marine & Wildlife Institute (CIMWI) monitored the pup and mother and asked the public to avoid making too much noise or getting to close to the new little family.
They said interference could create risk to the successful bonding, nursing and survivability of the pup.
Fortunately, on Friday, the CIMWI decided the pup and its mother were ready to be relocated. The two were captured and successfully moved from the harbor to a private beach in a remote location.
The wildlife institute said it appreciates the community's support during the first few days of the pup's life.
As with all babies, the first few days of life are critical for the mother and child to bond and for the baby to get colostrum which is essential for a newborn’s health, growth and vitality, CIMWI said.
Fortunately, the mother was very protective of her pup and the two bonded and nursed well.
CIMWI said the pair's relocation from the busy harbor to a secluded beach will give them the best chance at continued bonding, nursing and development.
Channel Islands Marine & Wildlife is dedicated to positively impacting conservation through marine mammal rescue, rehabilitation, research and education to promote ocean and human health. The organization serves both Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.
To learn more about CIMWI, visit www.cimwi.org.
The institute said it would provide further updates and video of the sea lion family and other rescues on their social media pages @CIMWI.
