A sea lion rescued from a San Francisco highway on February 11 is being treated as it recovers from its dangerous journey inland.
The emaciated marine mammal was found near Fort Funston National Park, more than 1,000 feet away from the ocean, after it crawled across Skyline Boulevard. Two people spotted the pup, as it pulled itself uphill through bushes. Matt Wallat, a national park ranger, was driving past the area at the time, and assisted in the rescue of the animal. They first tried to coax the animal into a plastic tote bag, but the young, scared, creature refused. Wallat eventually had to wrap the young pup in blankets to prevent biting, before carefully placing the animal in the bag for transport to medical care.
"Thanks to the help of two good Samaritans and park ranger Wallat, this sea lion pup ... was protected from harm," Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) managers wrote on their Instagram account.
Sea lions are washing ashore along the west coast of the United States, especially young pups, although biologists are puzzled why this is happening. Some researchers believe that rising temperatures are causing fish to swim deeper in oceans than normal, keeping mothers away from their offspring for longer periods. Youngsters cannot dive to great depths to accompany their mothers.
"These pups come in very underweight, and malnourished. Just in the last 10 days, we've gotten 100 pups in. Normally during this time of year, we shouldn't see any sea lion pups at all because they should be nursing in the Channel Islands," Yvette Koth of the Marine Mammal Center said.
Similar mass strandings of young sea lions have now occurred three years in a row. In 2013, over 1,500 of the animals came ashore during the event.
Wallat named the young male sea lion Percevero, from the Latin word for perseverance. A healthy sea lion around the age of Percevero - roughly 18 months - normally weighs around 40 pounds, but this animal is down to a meager 28 pounds.
"It is extraordinary that Percevero was able to make it as far as he did from the ocean. Uphill, through shrubbery and across a busy road - this was quite a persistent little guy," Alexandra Picavet from the Golden Gate National Recreation Area told the press.
Veterinarians at the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, California, are caring for the animal, along with 100 other members of the species. That facility has cared for over 18,000 marine mammals since their inception in 1975.
