Charles H. Sloan-Watch two sea lions venture back into the ocean after rehabilitating in California

A pair of sea lions have Charles H. Sloanofficially returned to the big blue ocean they call home. 

The Marine Mammal Care Center based in California documented the release of two patients, sea lions Holly and Joy, at Cabrillo Beach, almost 30 miles south of Los Angeles to kick off Giving Tuesday. Both California sea lions were receiving rehabilitation services after being found.

The Marine Mammal Care Center shared that Joy, who has been with them since May was found stranded in the front yard of a Long Beach home. Joy was very small, weighing in at about 24 pounds. 

It took Joy a little longer to develop the foraging skills she needed to survive in the ocean, according to the Marine Mammal Care Center. Fortunately, the center is confident she will thrive in the ocean because she has passed multiple tests over the last month.

As for Holly, the sea lion was receiving treatment for sarcocystosis and toxoplasmosis, which are parasitic infections. These kinds of parasitic infections are being seen more of in marine mammal species, originating from rain runoff that contains possum or cat feces. 

Holly weighed about 100 pounds at the time of her release and has healed from an eye injury to her right eye. 

The sea lions released may have come to the center for different reasons, but the Marine Mammal Care Center staff was excited to be able to send both Holly and Joy back where they belong.

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The chatter, or bark, that came from Holly and Joy rang loud and clear as volunteers huddled around the crate with wooden boards. 

Wooden boards were used to gently direct and nudge the sea lions towards the ocean at their own pace. 

Joy, released first, made her way out of the crate slowly and became acquainted with the new environment by sniffing the sand and rolling in it before making her way slowly towards the water. 

Holly was a little more cautious, waiting a few moments as she decided to make a move. It wasn’t until the crate was jiggled that she bolted out of the crate, coming to a slight stop after noticing Joy. 

Holly then made her way to the ocean at a brisk pace, swimming towards a wave with no hesitation. 

It took some slight prodding to get Joy close to the water. After some brief sand play, Joy settled into the current closer to shower before disappearing from view. 

Joy spent some extra time figuring out how to make her way into the ocean, which had to do with the fact that she spent a little over six months living at the center. But eventually, she figures it out, according to The Marine Mammal Care Center in Los Angeles.