Early Sunday morning, four people stole a sea lion pup from its mother, while both animals were at the Dockweiler State Beach.
Peter Wallerstein, who works at the Marine Animal Rescue, talked to City News Service saying that the baby sea lion might have bitten one of the suspects while they were trying to take it from its mother. According to Wellerstein, a baby sea lion’s bite is ten times more powerful than a pit bull’s.
According to witnesses, the incident happened at around 3:30 a.m., when a group a two men and two women started to harass the baby lion. The men and women were between the ages of 20 and 25, and according to the ones who’ve seen them, they were treating the animals very rudely. The men and women saw the baby sea lion and started to throw trash and rocks at it in an attempt of hurting the animal that was lying in the beach.
Although the animals were not hurt, one of the male suspects grabbed the sea lion pup and kidnapped it.
According to the witnesses, there was another baby sea lion on the shore, but it managed to escape the four people by running and hiding in the nearby bushes.
The other pup was stolen and put into a black Honda Civic, the two-door model. The car had a California license plate.
Wallerstein had been alerted by the officers responsible for beach security, who told him that there were two baby sea lions stranded on the shore.
The pup that managed to escape the kidnappers by hiding in the bushes was rescued by Wallerstein and his team.
The beach security officers told Wallerstein the other baby sea lion was stolen by the people by wrapping it in a blanket. They put the animal in the car and drove away.
Wallerstein said that what the four people did is a federal crime that is punishable with a $10,000 fine and a one year jail sentence.
According to marine biologists, a baby sea lion requires very special care.
Those who stole the sea lion cub are risking jail time, a fine and some serious bites, the biologists explained.
The incident is being investigated by the officials at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Wildlife experts say that sea lions are forced to come to the shore because of lack of food, which can put them in serious danger.
Image Source: babyanimalzoo
