Team Taking Care of Marine Mammals, Reptiles and Birds

SeaWorld San Diego’s Animal Rescue Team is busy these days taking care of a number of rescued animals, including a harbor seal pup born last week at a local beach and found separated from its mother; two stranded sea turtles transferred by the U.S. Coast Guard from the Oregon Coast Aquarium on Jan. 28; and a number of pelicans affected by the recent storms.

Adorable seal pup

The harbor seal pup, born Jan. 26 at Children’s Pool in La Jolla, was found beached and separated from its mother and was rescued by SeaWorld on Jan. 27. The female pup is in good health and is being bottle fed a special neonate pinniped formula high in fat and enhanced with salmon oil and vitamins. Animal care specialists will gradually add blended fish into the formula until the pup can eat whole fish. Once the pup is diving for live fish on her own, she can be released.

Pelican Rehabilitation

SeaWorld’s bird department is taking care of a number of ill brown pelicans that have been brought to the park for care. Since the beginning of the year, aviculturists have taken in more than 50 pelicans. Most are adults and are suffering from dehydration and malnourishment. Some also appear to be affected by storm run-off pollution. About one third of the birds have been successfully rehabilitated and released.

Sully the Famous Pilot (Whale)

All the mammals, reptiles and birds mentioned are recuperating at SeaWorld, and if all goes well, they will be released back into the wild. Of course, they’re not the only critters being cared for at SeaWorld. So far in 2010, the rescue team has rescued a total of 10 marine mammals, in addition to several turtles and birds. But the most exciting marine mammal in SeaWorld’s care right now is Sully the pilot whale (named after another pilot, Chesley Sullenberger, aka “Sully,” because both overcame extreme odds to survive). Sully was found beached and near death on the west beach of Jan Tiel Bay in Curacao, a Caribbean island near Aruba, in July of last year. Rescuers treated his severe dehydration and malnourishment by tube feeding him with a special formula of nutrients until he was able to eat whole fish. Once Sully was healthy and active, rescue teams made several attempts to re-introduce the pilot whale back out into the ocean and to wild populations of pilot whales. Each time rescuers took him out to sea, however, he followed the boat back. Because the animal is young (he is estimated to be between one and three years old) and showed no signs of re-integration, experts determined that the best place for Sully would be in a zoological facility with other pilot whales. SeaWorld San Diego is one of the few places in the world with pilot whales (and in fact the only place with performing pilot whales), and has a team of experts who have been caring for the species for more than two decades.

Turtle Transfer

Two sea turtles, an Olive ridley and a Pacific green, are recuperating after being transferred to SeaWorld last week by the U.S. Coast Guard. The endangered turtles were being cared by for the Oregon Coast Aquarium since they were found beached and hypothermic last November. SeaWorld San Diego’s aquarists and veterinarians are monitoring the turtles, taking blood tests, evaluating an injured flipper on the Pacific green, and continuing to treat the turtles for hypothermia. If the turtles are healthy enough, they will be released back to the ocean this summer when the waters are warmer.