Popular Bay Area park the place tens of 1000’s of seals collect closed to public after animals mysteriously die | EUROtoday

A beloved Bay Area wildlife attraction abruptly canceled greater than 600 seal tour reservations this week after California park officers found a number of sick and lifeless animals.

Año Nuevo State Park in San Mateo County, identified for its winter gatherings of elephant seals throughout their pupping season, paused lots of of excursions whereas researchers examine the reason for the diseases and deaths. Multiple companies are concerned and have collected samples to check for avian influenza, with outcomes nonetheless pending.

A “small number” of grownup elephant seals, weaned pups and seabirds have been affected, based on Adeline Yee, a spokesperson for California State Parks instructed The Independent.

“Most seals on the beach appear healthy. Out of an abundance of caution, access is being paused to give wildlife space and allow for ongoing monitoring. Thank you for your understanding,” the Año Nuevo State Park web site reads.

Tours are canceled by March 1. To date, 134 excursions and 617 reservations, totaling 1,203 tickets, have been affected, together with 22 faculties, Yee instructed The Independent. Tickets, which value $11 every, embody a three-to-four-mile guided hike to view and {photograph} the huge two-ton animals.

open picture in gallery

Elephant seals alongside the California coast have their pupping season from December by March, with most pups being born in late December and January. During this time, feminine seals come ashore to offer start and nurse their pups for about three-to-four weeks.

Male elephant seals arrive earlier to ascertain breeding territories, which overlaps with the pupping interval. Once the nursing interval ends, the pups are weaned and should begin fending for themselves, normally by late January or early February, although some pups born later might keep into March.

Biologists and wildlife consultants from a number of companies, together with the University of California campuses at Santa Cruz and Davis, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and federal companions, are working to find out what precipitated the sickness and fatalities.

open picture in gallery

Despite the suspension of guided excursions, sure areas of Año Nuevo State Park stay open to the general public. Visitors can nonetheless entry the Marine Education Center, the Horse Barn Movie Theater and a portion of the Año Nuevo Point Trail, although viewing of the seal colony itself is restricted for now.

Full tour refunds can be found by the Reserve California web site or by calling 800-444-4445.

The park’s elephant seals have rebounded dramatically from close to‑extinction within the late nineteenth century, after they have been closely hunted for his or her blubber, which was used to make oil. Today, populations throughout California is almost 200,000, making the annual winter pupping season a must-see amongst vacationers.