A tiny Californian sea lion pup born at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo in the United Kingdom on June 18 is already showing himself to be a cheeky little pup.
“The new pup is a great addition to the colony here at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo and the European conservation breeding programme for this species, and it’s brilliant for us to see Bailey being such a good mum,” said zookeeper, Alex Pinnell.
Whipsnade Zoo has not welcomed a pup since 2007 when this little guy’s dad, Dominic was born. Keepers have chosen the name Oscar for this little guy. His mum is Bailey. The family live with ‘aunt’ Lara.
Pinnell said, “We’ve named the pup Oscar, which we think suits his personality, and as ‘O’ is the 15th letter in the alphabet, we’ll always easily remember that he was born in 2015!”
Bailey has taken to motherhood well and is spending time looking after the incredibly lively pup. He is regularly seen demanding all of mum’s attention.
“A new infant is not only exciting for the zookeepers, but also for the other sea lions as it’s something brand new for them and they all love the new addition to their group. We’re staying hands off for now, to allow them all to get to know one another,” added Pinnell.
Californian sea lions are found all along the west coast of the United States of America. A dominant male lives with his large colony of females.
Photo Credit: ZSL Whipsnade Zoo
