Mammal Mystery Spurs Calif. Rescue Mission

Hundreds of Sea Lions are Turning Up Sick and Starving on the Coast - and Scientists Aren't Sure Why

(CBS)  Dean Gomersall is about to save another life.

"There he is right there," says Gomersall, pointing to a sick and stranded sea lion on the southern California coast.

The sea lion is lucky to be snared by Gomersall's net.

"Basically this animal would sit here starve to death and eventually die if it weren't for places like us," he says.

The Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach is flooded with starving California sea lion pups, reports CBS News correspondent Ben Tracy. Many arrive emaciated with ribs showing through their skin. They should look be covered in blubber.

The sea lion rescued at the beach is nearly 20 pounds underweight.

"He's got ribs sticking out all over," says veterinarian Dr. Richard Evans.

The center has already rescued 172 sea lions this year - 139 percent more than last year.

It's the same story 400 miles north in San Francisco.

They've rescued a record 890 California sea lions. One ended up in a squad car after being found on the highway.

"A significant portion of our animals are so debilitated when they join us that we're just not able to rescue them or save them," says Jeff Boehm of the Marine Mammal Center

Why is this happening? Part of the problem could be overpopulation - a record 59,000 of these animals were born along the coast last year.

The California sea lion eats small fish like sardines and anchovies. Because there are so many of them competition for food is fierce and the concern is that it's going to get even worse because of a change in the weather offshore.

A growing El Nino weather pattern may be bringing warmer water currents to the California coast. Fish seek out colder water now further out in the ocean. That depletes the sea lion's food source near the shore.

"If this El Nino continues to develop and gets stronger and stronger...what we're seeing now is just the tip of the iceberg," says marine biologist Joe Cordaro.

Meanwhile, they are saving the ones they can. The weakest need feeding tubes and work back to eating whole fish.

Yet by the time they wear out their welcome... they are sent on their way.

"It's the best part of the job for sure," says one rescuer before letting sea lions back out to sea.

After a little hesitation, they're off - headed back home.

[puzzler125]

It is nature doing its thing IF it really is caused by nature. If it's caused by climate change then WE caused it and we need to fix it.

[puzzler125]

It is nature doing its thing IF it really is caused by nature. If it's caused by climate change then WE caused it and we need to fix it.

[DaVicar5]

"Scientists Aren't Sure Why"???

The Peta tree huggers made us stop killing Sea Lions...that's WHY!

[endurorob]

So the problem seems to be overpopulation and nature was apperently taking care of that problem but these people step in to try and prevent Miss Nature from doing her thing so next year the problem will likely be twice as bad.

[Hosheen]

"They should look be covered in blubber." There was a time when journalists could write a coherent English sentence. Obviously, that time has passed.

[book_of_wally]

"Basically this animal would sit here starve to death and eventually die if it weren't for places like us," he says.

This one was my favorite.

[clancy49]

The problem is once again the greed of man. First there is over fishing, second there is the cruel finning of sharks. The shark population is down and cannot reproduce as fast as their numbers are being killed for the fins. This isn't global warning, this is greed. As for overpopulation, soon the world will see the results of starvation through overpopulation and greed.

[Ranger_Sasquatch]

Once again humanity tries to impress it's morality upon nature. Too many animals of any type for the given environment means an adjustment in the number of animals will be made. Nature prefers starvation and disease as her tools. Saving the ootsy cutesy, when they're not on your dock or taking your fish off the line, seals just wastes resources and makes truly wooly headed bleeders feel good about themselves.

[andrew15000]

How is the Salmon fisery doing in Alaska big boy? How about the COD and Tuna in the NE US?

It all about tat nature thang huh?

[John_Merritt]

Andrew 15000

I have an affinity for fisherman because you guys definitely work for a living. One mighty contributor other than eliminating the food source for the sea lion; is the El Nino effect making the waters warmer closer to land and driving the fish further out to the colder waters. Is this a fair assumption?

They are also finding these sea lions 'sickly' and I would imagine that our waters are getting 'toxic' from the residue of mankind. Everything is being dumped into our waterways, and until we can find a better method of containing our runoff and garbage, we are going to continue to see the scales tipping. And it won't be in our favor.

We have to start protecting the very life source that we ALL depend on for sustenance. We need to clean up after ourselves. That is a requisite for each of us. Picking up after ourselves is not just meant for childen, the adults of this world have gotten sloppy and reckless with our earth.

[andrew15000]

I spend much time on the water. Have any of you ever considered that the commercial fishing industry might have over fished the Sea Lions food source?

Happens all the time.

For all of you scientist, survival of the fittest is really a World Wrestling Federation term. Fit does mean the biggest and badest. The term relates to adaptibility.. Color, more hair for cold etc.

Something is odd here. Too many born.. Maybe..

My bet is on overfising of Anchovys.

[aChangeOfIdeas]

natural selection might be about color or cold adaptability, but it's also about hunting skills, behavior, and yes - sometimes who is the biggest and baddest. And sometimes it's about who is the smallest and most clever.

Also, it could be too manny born or maybe it's too few died - another poster mentioned sharks and that is a good point. If there were less sharks than usual than there might be more seals.

As far as blaming humans (again) with the overfishing, remember we are fishing to eat too. Somehow we never count when it comes to 'nature'. We have the brains that we should do things without upsetting too many balances but I don't imagine that overfishing is responsible for a one-year aberration in seal population.

[legacyabq]

Whats the bid deal? This is nature doing its thing. This is an abundant species; over-abundant. They're like pigeons. Very very common. They are over-crowded right now; eventually, they won't be. Whats the point of"resuing" a bunch of animals, that when released again, will just starve again?!? Theres NO FOOD for thids many sea-lions.
I know they're cute, but if peopekl want to help animals, why not help endangered/threatened species?

[Sloughfoot]

Most of the pen reared or resued sea lions will dye. They have shown an inability to compete and when released into the wild they still will still not have the skills to do so. Yes, I know the "Feel Good People" will be offed. But it is the bloated human population world wild that is making life more challenging for all the wild things. Perhaps even for man him self.

[dpu3jwallace]

IF THERE IS THIS PROBLEMATIC OVERPOPULATION OF SEA LIONS IN A GIVEN AREA, WHY NOT JUST ESTABLISH A 'CONTROLLED HARVEST' OF THE SEALIONS IN THAT AREA? -- IT WOULD SOLVE THE OVERPOPULATION PROBLEM, HELP THE FISHING INDUSTRY, AND PROVIDE HUMANS WITH FOOD THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE VERY RICH IN OMEGA-3 FATTY OILS. -- OR, DOES SOMETHING THIS SIMPLE 'MAKE TOO MUCH SENSE'?

[door331]

how about working on a program to release more food that could naturally thrive in warmer water climates? or release them in other coastal areas with larger food sources? I am just pulling ideas out of thin air here but I can tell you for certain that re-releasing them in the wild without solving their food shortage is just a waste.

[patocc123]

When a species becomes overpopulated, the numbers are decreased by starvation. Its a way of nature and balance. I know people want to jump in and say its global warming so we caused it. Well let nature fix our mess then.

By saving so many we are going against nature. Are we going to jump in and save the sardines now cause thier numbers will surely decrease. Or are we just a huge bunch of shark supporters who want them to have a larger food source.

I wonder how much people would be willing to save them if they look more gimmacing. The Free Willy effect is whats going on here. They look cute to people. I would like to see someone who thinks orcas are cute and jump in the water to go swimming with them. Now that would be a news story.

[aChangeOfIdeas]

Most species fluctuate their numbers above and below a carrying capacity. These seals were apparently above their carrying capacity at the moment. Releasing rehabilitated seals back into the wild isn't going to magically make food available to them. Left alone, the best fit will survive, and that's evolution.