Sea Of Supporters Pools Resources, Brings Abandoned Sea Lion Home

RIVERHEAD, NY — A sea of supporters pooled their resources recently to bring a baby sea lion to its forever home in Riverhead.

A GoFundMe page, "Help Transport and Sponsor a Rescued Sea Lion" was created by the Long Island Aquarium.

"The Long Island Aquarium is thrilled to accept a new juvenile sea lion in need of a forever home," the page said, adding that sponsors to help with transport from a rescue facility in California as well as for her long-term care were sought.

"This female sea lion, known as #1870 at the rescue center, was found in front of a beach home at Windansea beach in La Jolla, CA. Although a popular beach for humans, this is not a normal place for sea lion pups to be born and raised. The home owners and beachgoers observed #1870 nursing from her mother, or 'dam,' but noticed that she was leaving the pup alone for longer periods of time," the page said.

SeaWorld San Diego’s rescue team was alerted and they began to monitor the pup’s health and progress; unfortunately, #1870’s dam stopped coming and caring for her pup completely, the page said. Seaworld’s Rescue team, along with National Marine Fisheries Service made the determination that the pup had been abandoned and her health was declining to a state that needed intervention; #1870 was rescued on July 26, 2018 and brought to SeaWorld for rehabilitation, the page said.

"She was initially bottle fed a special pinniped formula, then weaned onto fish when she was six months old. She currently eats 4 to 5 lbs. of fish each day," the page said. "Because she was abandoned, she does not know how to hunt on her own and has been deemed un-releasable and in need of a facility to give her a forever home."

The little sea lion began her journey to the East Coast in mid-March. "The mammal care team and everyone at the Long Island Aquarium can’t wait to give her a wonderful new home and life," the page said.

To donate, click here.