Leaving on a jet plane

This week a longtime guest to The Marine Mammal Center, a California sea lion named Seahawk , will fly cross-country to his new home at the Pittsburgh Aquarium. Seahawk had grown so accustomed to people that he was no longer safe in the wild; he would routinely enter populated areas and find himself at risk. Several efforts were made to relocate Seahawk to unpopulated areas, only to discover the seal immediately swam back to reunite with his human friends! While a friendly seal might look like fun for all, feeding or otherwise encouraging a seal separates the animal from its natural food and habitat. Eventually, the animal will lose the ability to live in the wild. I've worked with California sea lions and discovered how powerfully adapted they are to the extremes of marine life. We can best admire these wonderful creatures from a respectful distance, and preserve their home for future generations.

Since Seahawk could no longer survive in the wild, I'm happy he's found a permanent home at Pittsburgh's new aquarium.