A sea lion was found in San Francisco’s Marina District this morning, according to Marine Mammal Center officials.
San Francisco Animal Care and Control officers responded to Marina Boulevard and Divisadero Street at 6:37 a.m.
Marine Mammal Center officials said members of the public reported the sea lion was hiding under a car. Police officers assisted in keeping the animal out of harm’s way until animal rescuers from the center arrived.
At about 7 a.m., the sea lion was rescued, put in a carrier and taken back to the Marine Mammal Center for assessment, center officials said.
Marine Mammal Center officials said the male California sea lion’s name is Rubbish and that the animal had received treatment at the center in the past after being rescued by the Santa Barbara Marine Mammal Center on Feb. 8.
Rubbish had weighed just 30 pounds and was eight months old when he was rescued in February and was released on March 23 after gaining 17 pounds, center officials said.
Marine Mammal Center officials said Rubbish is one of thousands of California sea lion pups that have stranded along the California coast this year as a result of warm waters that have affected food availability.
Anyone who sees a sick or injured marine mammal is asked to call the center at (415) 289-SEAL.
Dan McMenamin, Bay City News
