A northern fur seal pup who made waves last October after washing ashore in Newport Beach was returned to the water over the weekend. Severely emaciated and dehydrated at intake, the seal, named Sweet P, had also suffered multiple lacerations on her face and flippers. Her rehabilitation took place at Pacific Marine Mammal Center, a not-for-profit veterinary hospital in Laguna Beach that rescues and rehabilitates sick and injured seals, sea lions, dolphins and whales that wash up along the 52 miles of Orange County’s coastline.
“Sweet P’s release exam showed that she more than doubled her weight since arriving at the hospital and is in good physical condition,” said Associate Veterinarian Dr. Kaylee Brown. “Today, we are taking her two miles offshore to the continental shelf, placing her closer to a northern fur seal rookery on the Channel Islands.”
Sweet P did not hesitate to jump into the ocean as soon as her kennel door was opened, displaying the same confidence and exuberance that made her one of the most popular animals among guests at the facility. After Sweet P’s release, PMMC has 19 California sea lion patients. The number of patients and variety of species is expected to increase as ‘stranding season,’ the time of year when young pups are weaned from their mothers, approaches.
