Two sea lions rescued in Oregon debut at Queens Zoo

Two sea lions stranded along California coast make a big splash in Prospect Park Zoo

Sea lion pup born at Bronx Zoo

 B-Roll of Bronx Zoo sea lion pup available here >>

New York, N.Y.  —  September 3, 2013 — The Wildlife Conservation Society’s zoos are welcoming the arrival of five new California sea lions. Four of the five were rescued from the wild and the fifth was born at the Bronx Zoo.

“We are happy to provide a home for these rescued animals and to add genetic diversity to our sea lion propagation program,” said Jim Breheny, WCS Executive Vice President and Bronx Zoo Director.

Two female sea lions arrived at WCS’s Prospect Park Zoo after being orphaned and stranded off the coast of Point Hueneme, Calif. Upon rescue, the pups were brought to Six Flags Vallejo in Ventura County California for initial care and rehabilitation. They were brought to Prospect Park Zoo on a recommendation from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service after it was determined they were unlikely to survive in the wild.

The pups are doing well and learning basic behaviors from the zoo’s animal keepers. They are on exhibit in the sea lion pool along with the Prospect Park Zoo’s two other females, Stella and Beebe.

Two adult male California sea lions from the West Coast now live at WCS’s Queens Zoo. They came from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife as part of a local wildlife management project in Bonneville, Ore.

Animal staff from the Queens Zoo and a veterinarian from the WCS Zoological Health Program went to the Pacific Northwest to examine, care for, and begin basic training of the two bulls at a local holding facility. They worked closely with the animals for nearly a month before transporting them to their new home.

The two join Butch and Taylor to complete the bachelor group of four in the zoo's sea lion pool.

Lastly, a sea lion pup was born at the Bronx Zoo on June 28th. The pup is the third baby born to mother, Indy. This is the sixth offspring of father, Kiani, who was transferred to be the breeding bull at the New York Aquarium.

The newborn is female and is still unnamed. She joins Halftime, another rescue brought to the Bronx in 2012; Margaretta; McCabe; Nav; and Indy in the pool on the zoo’s historic Astor Court. California sea lions are exhibited at all five WCS facilities: the Bronx Zoo, New York Aquarium, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo and Queens Zoo.

California sea lions are not endangered and live in healthy populations along the west coast of North America from Alaska to Mexico. All marine mammals, including sea lions, are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972.


Contact:
MAX PULSINELLI: (1-718-220-5182; mpulsinelli@wcs.org)
BARBARA RUSSO: (1-718-265-3428; brusso@wcs.org )
STEVE FAIRCHILD: (1-718-220-5189; sfairchild@wcs.org)
The Wildlife Conservation Society saves wildlife and wild places worldwide. We do so through science, global conservation, education and the management of the world’s largest system of urban wildlife parks, led by the flagship Bronx Zoo. Together these activities change attitudes towards nature and help people imagine wildlife and humans living in harmony. WCS is committed to this mission because it is essential to the integrity of life on Earth. Visit: www.wcs.org

The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Adult admission is $16, children (3-12 years old) $12, children under 3 are free, seniors (65+) are $14. Parking is $13 for cars and $16 for buses. The Bronx Zoo is conveniently located off the Bronx River Parkway at Exit 6; by train via the #2 or #5 or by bus via the #9, #12, #19, #22, MetroNorth, or BxM11 Express Bus service (from Manhattan that stops just outside the gate.) To plan your trip, visit www.bronxzoo.com or call 718-367-1010.

The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Queens Zoo – Open every day of the year. Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for seniors 65 and older, $5 for kids 3-12, free for children under 3. Zoo hours are 10am to 5pm weekdays, and 10am – 5:30pm weekends, April through October, and 10am – 4:30pm daily, November through April. The Queens Zoo is located at 53-51 111th Street in Flushing Meadow’s Corona Park in Queens. For further information, call 718-271-1500 or visit www.queenszoo.com.

The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Prospect Park Zoo – $8 for adults, $6 for seniors 65 and older, $5 for kids 3-12, free for children under 3. Zoo hours are 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. weekdays, and to 5:30 P.M. on weekends and holidays, April through October. 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. November through March. The Prospect Park Zoo is located at 450 Flatbush Avenue in Prospect Park, Brooklyn. For further information, call 718-399-7339 or visit www.prospectparkzoo.com.