LIFE

One of the new sea lions at Indianapolis Zoo seems to think she's a dog

Allison Carter
allison.carter@indystar.com
Look at these good sea puppies.

One day, I hope to walk into a bathroom to find a sea lion inside. It hasn't happened yet, but I still believe. That's because this exact scenario played out with one of the two new sea lions that now calls the Indianapolis Zoo home.

Harley, a sea lion believed to be about 8 years old, was found locked inside a beach bathroom in February of this year. Rescuers saved her and sent her on her sea lion way. But by mid-March, she was found chasing cars in La Jolla.

So Harley is great at being a Labrador retriever but not as awesome at being a safe sea lion. But because it was dangerous for her to continue to chase cars -- what, with the flippers and all -- the National Marine Fisheries Service determined she could not be released again. And that's how she found her way to the Indianapolis Zoo in July.

Joining Harley and seven other seals and sea lions is Ivy, believed to be about 2 years old. Ivy was found stranded three times in a year-long period and required medical attention. Finally, she was found dehydrated and with a flipper injury, and it was decided to take Ivy out of the wild.

The Indianapolis Zoo is home to several other rescued animals, including three other rescued sea lions, an orphaned Pacific walrus and an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin.

You can see all these critters on display at the zoo.

Allison Carter is an engagement producer at IndyStar and really wants a sea puppy. Follow her on Twitter @AllisonLCarter