This California sea lion is back where he belongs. Two months ago, he was discovered wandering the San Francisco streets, blocks away from his typical habitat and suffering from severe malnutrition. Rescuers named him Irving and have been nursing him back to health ever since. Now, he’s finally strong enough to return to the ocean.
Irving’s San Francisco rescue
The pup was spotted in the early morning hours of April 16 near 48th Avenue and Irving Street in San Francisco, according to a release from The Marine Mammal Center (TMMC). From there, a trained responder from TMMC, officers from the San Francisco police department and rangers from the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department worked together to safely contain the pup for veterinary evaluation at TMMC in Sausalito, California.
Watch:California sea lion pup Irving rescued from San Francisco streets
“California sea lion Irving was admitted into The Marine Mammal Center’s care on April 16 weighing just 36 pounds, severely underweight for a sea lion pup of about 10 months old,” said Giancarlo Rulli, spokesperson for The Marine Mammal Center. “It is likely that Irving was having difficulty finding food in the open ocean, having not yet fully developed the skills needed to thrive after leaving his mother’s care on the island rookeries off Southern California.”
According to TMMC, all admitted marine mammal patients receive a full admission exam by the Center’s veterinary experts to determine underlying conditions and evaluate overall health…