A young sea lion rescued on the California coast has made its way to the Bronx Zoo.
The female California sea lion showed up on the deck of a seaside bar during a football game, authorities said. The pup, which was promptly nicknamed Halftime, had already been stranded twice before and, since she had become used to humans, could not be released back into the wild.
She received care at a rehabilitation center in California and then Bronx Zoo staff escorted her to the city.
"The new addition to the zoo’s sea lion population is a rare opportunity for the zoo and our visitors,” said Jim Breheny, WCS Executive Vice President and Bronx Zoo Director. “We are able to provide a home for an animal unlikely to survive alone in the wild. She will be well cared for in the Bronx and will be an ambassador for the species by helping us teach zoo visitors about wildlife and conservation.”
There are currently eight male and ten female sea lions in the Wildlife Conservation Society's five city parks. The new pup has joined the one male and three females at the Bronx Zoo’s pool on the famous Astor Court.
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