Rehabilitated sea lions released back into Monterey Bay

It was a special day for marine mammal experts on the peninsula, as they waved goodbye to two of their patients.

It’s been quite the journey for these two sea lions rescued along the Monterey coast line.

Fitznut and Mel have both been under the Marine Mammal Center’s care for over a month, as they were treated for malnutrition and leptospirosis, and Mel has a cataract in her eye, so this was the moment many have been waiting for.

“They beat the odds, and they’re back into the wild and that’s what we like to see, so we’re all rooting for them. They’re the underdogs and they made it,” says Denise Foderaro, Commodore of the Stillwater Yacht Club.

The center relies heavily on the public to be their eyes and ears while near the coastline, calling when they spot an animal in distress.

Employees and volunteers put their blood sweat and tears into nursing these animals back to good health, especially considering so many of the center’s calls bring them out here.

“40 percent of all the calls that marine mammal center responds to actually come from our area here on the Monterey bay and Santa Cruz and Monterey counties, so having support from the community here is especially crucial,” says Julia O’Hern, Operations Manager at the Center’s Moss Landing triage hospital.

While today’s released sea lions have a success story, not all end the same. Officials say human interaction accounts for a good chunk of the reason many animals are taken in. And they hope releases like these will help shed light on the importance of protecting our ocean and those living in it.

“Seeing them return to the ocean and obviously knowing exactly what to do, it’s just…it’s a really beautiful thing.”

If you spot an animal in distress, you’re asked to call the center at 415-289-SEAL