Footage of sea lion found wandering 30 miles away from coastline sparks outcry: 'This instantly made my heart so sad'
An Instagram video has garnered attention from concerned wildlife lovers, showing a sea lion 30 miles from the coast to which it belongs.
This heartbreaking video was shared by Washington Post climate coverage (@postclimate) and shows a lone sea lion wandering the dry landscape of Chile's Torres del Paine National Park.
The text in the video reads, "According to a regional director for Chile's National Fisheries Service, the sea lion was likely searching for food."
While the Professional Association of Diving Instructors reports that sea lions can be out of water for extended periods with no problem, it is abnormal for the animals to be so far from their stomping grounds, as proved by locals' and professionals' reaction to seeing it.
Commenters on the post shared similar shock. "This instantly made my heart so sad," one said. Someone else added, "We're watching the climate crisis, and the demise of all of the innocent, magnificent creatures that had nothing to do with it."
The sea lion's hunger led it to territory where it did not belong. As a sea lion's diet consists entirely of marine life, per NOAA Fisheries, this one's journey signifies the dark impact of issues such as overfishing, resource shortages, pollution, and habitat destruction.
Sea lions elsewhere have exhibited similar strange behaviors as a result of climate change. In California in 2023, a boy was bitten by a sea lion while swimming. Though sea lions are not to be considered friends — as is true for any wild animal — this one was acting strangely, with twitching eyes and a lethargic demeanor, likely because of toxic algae nearby.
These experiences with sea lions highlight how pollution, habitat destruction, and the overheating planet have trickle-down effects that harm everyone.
Fortunately, the sea lion was brought back to its home and joined its herd. While a positive end to the creature's story, the work is far from done in protecting wildlife.
To combat the climate crisis, first and foremost, you can get educated and inform those around you. From there, actionable steps include quitting single-use plastics, not littering, and switching to more eco-friendly energy sources.
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