Sea Lions Released Off Peruvian Coast

After months of rehabilitation, nine sea lions were released into the ocean off the coast of the Palomino Islands in Peru on Friday. Each sea lion is approximately seven months old and had been orphaned on the coast of Lima. Peru’s Organization for Research and Conservation of Aquatic Animals, or ORCA, brought the sea lions back to health and released them into the sea near a reserve where hundreds of other sea lions live. There is growing concern for the region’s sea lions. Increasing temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, which have caused a drop in fish stocks, along with over-fishing are leaving the animals in increasingly challenging situations to maintain their food supply.