Northern Elephant Seal Pup Needs Help

The following story about a Northern elephant seal was shared with us by the Marine Mammal Care Center Los Angeles.

On March 31, 2022, Marine Mammal Care Center Los Angeles received a Northern elephant seal from El Pescador beach in Malibu California. This 4-month-old pup only weighed 38.7 kilograms (about 85.3 pounds), which is what elephant seals weigh at birth. He was severely malnourished and dehydrated.

During his intake exam he was given an oral solution of EmerAid IC Piscivore for stabilization. EmerAid IC Piscivore is MMCCLA hospital’s standard for initial nutritional supplementation. It provides easy-to-digest nutrients, which is important for animals who have gone through a period of starvation.

He was given EmerAid during his first 24 hours. He then transitioned to a blended fish diet. After four days of a blended fish diet, he was introduced to whole fish and was eating on his own within another four days.

He continued to eat well and more than doubled his weight. He was released on June 6th weighing 99.6 kilograms (about 219.5 pounds).