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Sea Lion Affected By Santa Barbara Oil Spill Dies At SeaWorld
A sea lion affected by the Santa Barbara oil spill died Saturday morning while being treated at SeaWorld, as the cleanup continues through the holiday weekend.The male animal was brought in earlier in on Thursday and was immediately treated, but "Unfortunately, it passed away in the early morning hours," a spokesperson with the park told the L.A. Times. The park also announced that another sea lion and an elephant seal had also been brought in to the park for rehabilitation yesterday, and veterinarians are "cautiously optimistic" about their chances for recovery.
A sea lion affected by an oil spill being treated at SeaWorld (via Facebook)
Tuesday's oil spill at Refugio State Beach has had a devastating effect on the wildlife. An estimated 105,000 gallons of oil have spilled from the pipeline and about 21,000 of those gallons have gotten into the waters off Refugio.Beaches that would normally be crowded for the holiday weekend remain closed and the Times is also reporting that the broken pipeline could be dug up by the end of this weekend for inspection.