THE PATAGONIAN SEA LION COVE
Carus looks drowsyCarus is carried onto the trailerCarus on the trailer
The New Patagonian Cove was ready, but we had a problem, how do we get Carus into his new home. Dippity had been trained to get into a crate, so it would be easy for us to move her, but Carus, although friendly, would be much more of a challenge. With the help of a specialist vet, Andrew Greenwood, it was decided to sedate Carus. On the morning of the 19th of July 2001, we all arrived early at the Sanctuary ready for the task ahead.
The animal care team watch over CarusCarus weighs over a third of a ton (400 kilos), so we were relieved when firemen from the Falmouth and Truro Brigade volunteered to help us move him. Once Carus was sedated, we used a special heavy duty carrying net, to hoist him onto the back of our trailer. Carus lifted off trailer
Ellen, Nikki, Helen, Kym and Tamar watched over Carus as Malcolm slowly drove the short distance to the new pool. Again everyone was needed to gently lift carus off the trailer and into his new home.
Ellen, Kym and Andrew watch Carus recoverCarus slowly began to move as he recovered from the anaesthetic, the animal care team placed a barrier between him and the deep water, as they were worried he would try and swim before he was fully awake. Carus still looks drowsy
Animal care supervisor Ellen Preston and the rest of the team had been anxious about how Carus would take to his new unfamiliar surrounds...but their fears proved unfounded, he soon took the plunge in his new 4.5metre deep pool.
As Ellen watched Carus and Dippity swimming around, she said "Carus was suspicious at first, but once he had explored his pool and discovered he can now dive to more than twice the depth he was able to before, he seemed delighted, Dippity took to it straight away. I think they're both going to be very happy in their new home."
Carus through underwater viewing windowOne of our visitors watches Carus through a viewing windowCarus through underwater viewing window

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