By Ricardo Domínguez

This article was translated by Gaël Courtin

With the aim of rescuing and protecting trapped sea lions in the peninsula of Baja California, civil organizations in collaboration with the Mexicans authorities have launched a training campaign on the technique of distant sedation.

Therefore, the 24th, 25th, and 26th of October 2018, 2 members of Terra Peninsular (Enrique Alfaro and Domínguez) took part at the workshop “Capture and immobilization techniques of sea lions workshop” in the facilities of the second Naval Region of the Mexican Navy.

The training included theoretical and practical sessions for the liberation of trapped pinnipeds (aquatics mammals like seals, walruses or sea lions) using the technique of distant sedation.

The course consisted in a few hours of theoretical discussion about this initiative, the different techniques for a successful rescue, like the wounds monitoring of the animals. Afterwards, practical field activities were done in which trainees learned how to throw darts in order to sedate and how to deal with sedated animals. At the end, a simulation was realised on board of navy ships, to scout for trapped organisms within the Bahía de Todos Santos, in Ensenada.

Because animals stuck in fishing nets is a recurrent problem concerning directly sea lions, we all hope that this excellent initiative of collaboration between organizations of the civil society and the Mexicans authorities will continue and that we can obtain a reduction of these incidents.This workshop was financed by two NGOs (Grupo de Ecología y Conservación de Islas A.C. and Cabet Cultura y Ambiente A.C.) and the second Naval Region of the Mexican Navy.