The Federal Attorney’s Office for Environmental Protection (Profepa) announced the release of 19 California sea lions following a special disentanglement operation conducted at various rookeries located within the Gulf of California Islands Flora and Fauna Protection Area in Baja California.
Entanglement occurs when individual animals become trapped in fishing nets. As they grow, the netting materials become embedded in their bodies, causing injuries, pain, stress, and suffering, in addition to posing a high risk of death.
Profepa explained that, to ensure the animals’ well-being during the operation, remote sedation was administered—a technique that helps reduce stress and facilitates medical care. In cases where it was necessary, surgical procedures were performed to remove nets that had already become embedded in the animals’ tissues.
The agency noted that the California sea lion is a species subject to special protection under the Official Mexican Standard NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010.
The operation was carried out in coordination with the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (Conanp), as well as with specialists and volunteers from the Mexico Marine Wildlife Rescue Center, the Autonomous University of Baja California Sur, the Jersey Children’s Zoological Park, Vallarta Adventures, Cabo Adventures, and residents of the community of Bahía de los Ángeles, Baja California.
Source: eluniversal
