In cooperation with Dr. Jenifer Zeligs-Hurley, Smith-Root completed a series of deterrence tests on California Sea Lions (Zalophus californianus) at Moss Landing Marine Labs in May, 2008. The goal of the tests was to evaluate an electrified deterrence array (a weak field of non-lethal, pulsed DC) to determine the voltage gradient levels that sea lions could detect, and the gradients that resulted in swimming deterrence, with and without food present. Results showed that California sea lions were extremely sensitive to an electric field that was several orders of magnitude lower than those used by biologists during electrofishing sampling programs.

The video below displays a cross-section of the Moss Landing results, and examples of the deterrence behaviors documented by Dr. Zeligs-Hurley and her staff. Animals were successfully deterred with and without food introduced over the electric array.