Somebody stole a sea lion cub from its mother at on Dockweiler State Beach, Los Angeles, on Sunday morning and one wildlife expert has warned the thieves saying that they should expect unpleasant surprises such as nasty bites and federal prosecution.
According to ABC 7, a witness at the scene told authorities that around 3 a.m., two women and two men were at the beach harassing two sea lion pups.
[quote text_size=”small” author=”– Pete Wallerstein” author_title=”Director of Marine Animal Rescue”]
Sea lions have a bite 10 times greater than a pit bull. Someone may have gotten bitten.
[/quote]
Wallerstein said security officers from the Dockweiler State Beach came to his home about 3:30 a.m. to report that two baby sea lions came to shore and that one had become stuck in some bushes. When he arrived at the scene he was able to free the baby sea lion, but was told by two Los Angeles police officers that people had taken the other one, according to Los Angeles Daily News.
[quote text_size=”small” author=”– Pete Wallerstein”]
That’s going to be tough because most people don’t know how to feed them. And to take them comes with a $10,000 fine and a year in prison. It’s hard to feed them and they need water.
[/quote]
Wallerstein adds that sea lion cubs are being stolen more often this year because of a high number of pups turning up sick along the Southern California coastlines. He thinks that the pups may have lost their way but were not abandoned by their mother.
An LAPD spokeswoman said the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, a federal agency, was conducting an investigation into the kidnapped baby sea lion.
In an unrelated story covered by Immortal News, scientists have discovered a missing evolutionary link between fur seals and sea lions. More on this story here.
