Three pups grow up and move on

Suzie Harrison

Black Tuesday will hit Laguna Beach this week. Its center will be

right up the canyon where the marine mammals frolic in a set of pools

and pens made just for them.

The dark day is not about economics this time, it’s about Pearl,

Xander and Gilligan -- three hand-reared California sea lions that

will be leaving the Friends of the Sea Lion Marine Mammal Center for

a new home at the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden.

Of course, it’s only dark for the caretakers who raised the pups

who have to say goodbye. The bright spot is in the knowledge that the

three pups came to the center in dire condition and have been

nurtured back to health.

“I think it’s an amazing experience to take a newborn and raise it

to a healthy pup,” said Michele Hunter, director of operations and

animal care.

Generally, when sea lions are successfully rehabilitated at the

center, they are released back into the wild, but these pups were a

bit different.

“Because these three animals required hand-rearing or bottle

feeding, they have become dependent on humans and are deemed unable

to be released back into the wild National Marine Fisheries,” Hunter

said.

It is an unusual situation for the facility. They have only had

three other animals in their 33-year history fall into that category.

Pearl, a female pup, was born May 19 at the center. Her mother was

brought in because of domoic acid poisoning, and Pearl was born

prematurely weighing only 12 pounds. The average birth weight for a

California sea lion is 15 to 20 pounds. Unfortunately, Pearl’s mother

did not survive, so the staff became responsible for her care.

“From the get-go, she required round-the-clock feedings,”

education director Beate Litz said.

Xander was rescued June 2; he was found face down on rocks at

Crescent Bay.

“It was likely he was born that day, because his umbilical cord

was fresh,” Hunter said. “We suspected that something was wrong

because the mother had not been sighted and it is not common for

California sea lions to leave their pups within the first couple of

days after birth.”

He weighted 17 pounds when he arrived at Friends of the Sea Lion.

“We thought, ‘Oh my gosh, now we have two in the middle of the

night to take care of,’” Litz said.

The tiny pups were an adorable duo as they cuddled together on a

blue sheet in their pen.

Gilligan came on the scene on Aug. 15. The 1- to 2-month-old,

21-pound male pup was rescued from the beach at the Montage -- found

without his mother.

He also needed hand-rearing, which is necessary to the survival of

such young orphaned pups.

Litz and Hunter said that California sea lions are extremely

maternal animals and the females nurse their pups for about five to

six months, even up to one year.

“We wanted to get them to a healthy weight with everything

functioning properly to have them be at their healthiest condition,”

Hunter said.

Friends of the Sea Lion has been working diligently to find the

perfect home for them.

“[You] go through the National Marine Fisheries Services and get a

list of available aquariums or zoos to determine which facility has

the most experience hand-raising,” Hunter said. “It’s like trying to

find a nursery school for your kids.”

They like the general environment of the Oklahoma facility and

especially like that it has an indoor area for winter.

“It’s enhanced with caves and tunnels so they can explore,” Hunter

said.

Litz and Hunter are going to accompany the pups to their new home

Tuesday.

“We are thrilled that the pups are going to have a permanent home

at the Oklahoma City Zoo,” Hunter said. “The facility has a wonderful

reputation, and I know they will thrive there.”

The center crew accomplished its goal of keeping the pups

together. The trio has a strong bond, and separation would have been

a hardship.

But while it’s fortunate the pups will have each other, their

caretakers still have to deal with saying goodbye.

“Of course I will miss them greatly,” Hunter said. “Usually, we

have a hands-off policy with the animals, but with close contact for

long hours, these pups have really worked their way into our hearts.”

“We’ll cry buckets,” Hunter said.

Friends of the Sea Lion Marine Mammal Center is at 20612 Laguna

Canyon Road. They are open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For

information or to make a donation, call (949) 494-3050 or visit

https://www.fslmmc.org.