09. 11. 11. - 14:32

Sea lion cub put down in Schönbrunn

A baby seal at Schönbrunn Zoo in Vienna, Austria, has had to be put down. According to the zoo, the seal, who was born on 19 July 2011, was suffering from a serious illness.

From the day the seal was born in the Austrian zoo, he was a favourite with visitors. The cub developed well in its first few months and weighed about 10 pounds. Despite receiving constant veterinary care the youngster’s condition had deteriorated dramatically in the last few days.

The zoo does not yet know the details of the South American Sea Lion’s illness but the results of an autopsy in the next few days are hoped to make things clearer.

The male South American Sea Lions are known for their manes and are referred to as Mähnenrobben (mane sea lions) in Austria. The breed are known for being good swimmers and can dive to 76 metres in depth for more than 15 minutes.