Sandia

When harbor seal Sandia was brought to our hospital, our veterinary experts saw signs revealing that she was just days old and likely born prematurely. Not only was part of her umbilical cord attached, but she still had a whitish lanugo coat that is usually shed in utero before birth. Since a pup as young as Sandia would still be nursing with her mother in the wild, our animal care experts initially fed her a special formula gently through a tube to ensure she got vital neonatal nutrients. As Sandia got stronger and her teeth came in, she began lessons in “fish school” where specially trained volunteers used tactics like dragging fish on a string through the water to encourage her natural instinct to chase prey. After months of care, Sandia had learned critical survival skills and more than tripled in body weight. Our experts determined that Sandia was ready for life in the wild, and she returned to the ocean with a second chance.