SeaWorld San Diego Rescues Nearly 900 Marine Animals In 2019

SAN DIEGO — SeaWorld San Diego announced Tuesday that its animal rescue team has rescued nearly 900 marine animals so far this year.

The theme park's animal rescue team rescued 171 sea lions, 20 northern elephant seals, eight harbor seals, four Guadalupe fur seals, four dolphins, one pygmy sperm whale and one sea turtle. and more than 600 marine birds during its 2019 rescue season.

In addition to animals rescued along the San Diego region's coastline, staff members are caring for a weeks-old northern sea otter pup that was rescued in August in Alaska and transferred last month to San Diego.

The park also welcomed three short-finned pilot whales last month after they were rescued and rehabilitated at SeaWorld Orlando.

SeaWorld San Diego has rescued more than 20,000 animals since 1965. The majority of the rescued animals have been sea lions, seals and marine birds, according to theme park officials.

Animal rescue teams at all three SeaWorld parks in San Diego, Orlando and San Antonio have rescued more than 35,000 marine and terrestrial animals since the company was founded. The goal of the program is to rehabilitate rescued animals and return them to the wild, giving them a second chance at life, according to theme park officials.

Residents can contact the SeaWorld Animal Rescue Team at 800-541-7325 if they see an animal that appears to be sick, injured or abandoned. The hotline is monitored 24/7, according to theme park officials.

Also see:

• SeaWorld Cares For Orphaned Sea Otter Pup Rescued In Alaska
• Rescued Pilot Whales Find New Home At SeaWorld San Diego

City News Service and Kristina Houck/Patch contributed to this report.