Even if he could not see correctly, the sea lion never lost his eye for the camera.
After months of rehabilitation and training, the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach was ready to introduce Odin – a nearly blind, two-year-old sea lion – into the main exhibit with two other males.
Odin was coaxed into his new habitat by trainers early Thursday morning, after being transported by forklift, weighed, and introduced for pictures.
A few months ago, Odin was found abandoned at Malibu’s Zuma Beach, where he had been left to fend for himself. In the wild, the animal would not have survived due to his condition. He was taken in and trained by the Marine Mammal Care Center, then released to the Aquarium of the Pacific, who agreed to house Odin and meet his special needs.
Odin was put into an entry program with two other sea lions (with full sight), and passed all tests before they did. In just a few short months he was ready to enter the habitat – already housing two male sea lions and three harbor seals, and zoologists couldn’t have been happier.
“Everything seems to be going really well,” said mammal zoologist Perri Leung. “Since he’s entered the habitat he’s been curious, but calm.”
Odin was certainly cautious upon entering the habitat, using his sensors to feel around the edges of the perimeter at first. But once finally diving into the water he was met with five-year-old Parker, a much larger sea lion who immediately initiated Odin into the habitat with playful nibbles and bumps. Odin and Parker did not stop wrestling for the better part of an hour.
Leung explained that Odin’s blindness is not the hindrance that aquarium zoologists expected.
“We have to really work with him to help teach him our voices, and that we have food,” she said. “In the beginning it was more work, but he got the idea of the trainers being the ones with food, and we’ve learned to brush his whiskers to direct him where we want him to go.”
Though about 90% blind, Odin can see certain streams of light, which explained his affinity for cameras. The superstar posed with photographers every chance he got.
Odin paces before being transported.
A forklift was need to move Odin to his new home.
Odin makes trainer wait while posing for pictures.
The two-year-old sea lion took several laps around his new habitat, using his whiskers to explore the surroundings.
Odin immediately made friends with a five-year-old male named Parker.
Parker and Odin (right).