DENVER - A pair of rescued California sea lions made their public debut at the Denver Zoo this week.
The boys, Duke and Maverick, arrived in July from the Six Flags Marine World/Africa USA in Vallejo, Calif. where the once-stranded animals were being rehabilitated.
They've spent the last few months behind the scenes getting used to their new surroundings, but visitors can see them now as they explore the seal pool.
Duke and Maverick were among several young sea lions found stranded and malnourished in Laguna Beach, Calif. They were all rescued, rehabilitated and released back into the wild before being found a second time - in unhealthy conditions.
The sea lions were deemed unable to survive in the wild by the National Marine Fisheries Service, so the Denver Zoo agreed to take the bonded pair.
Yearlings Duke and Maverick now weigh about 100 pounds and eat an average of five pounds of herring a day. Fully grown, they could weigh between 500 and 800 pounds.
Both join the other sea lions, Luci, Nick (sports predictor extraordinaire), Ady and Gunnison.
(© 2015 KUSA)
