It has always been thought that sea lions are very vicious to unrelated pups, however this is not necessarily the case.
According to new research, it turns out that 17% of female California sea lions will take in an orphaned pup and raise it as their own! How sweet!
The sea lions had been known to actually bare teeth and bark, and sometimes toss pups that aren’t their own away.
Jut it was found out that this theory that they had always believed in was false. During another project, researchers were taking DNA from sea lions and their cubs. After the DNA was analyzed, they realized that there were many mother and baby mismatches!!
The researchers continued to study these mismatches and found that many sea lions have been adopting pups. They think it may be because of increased tourism, which spooks sea lions to run off and abandon their pups.
It could also be a maternal instinct…What do U think about this??
[Image via AP Images.]
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