At the Marine Mammal Center, trained responders joined officers from the San Francisco Police Department and the San Francisco Recreation & Parks rangers to rescue a California sea lion pup spotted on 46th and Irving Street in San Francisco on April 16.
The little guy had obviously wandered out of the ocean and walked out onto the street.
He was safely placed in a crate provided by the Ocean Avenue Veterinary Hospital and taken to the ranger station to await transfer.
Now dubbed Irving, a Scottish surname derived from the town of Irvine in Ayrshire, Scotland, the name originates from Celtic roots, meaning “green water” or “freshwater.”
Irving received an admission exam from veterinary staff. He weighed only 40 pounds; about half of what he should have weighed at his age. Blood samples were also taken during the exam to test if there are any underlying illnesses.
On Monday’s update, veterinarians stated he is malnourished but “active and quite feisty.” He is believed to be about 10 months of age. California sea lions typically stay with their mothers for the first year of their lives.
And just in case, you’re curious about his diet, Irving is being tube-fed twice a day fish smoothies in order to boost hydration and weight. Soon he will be offered herring.
According to Lauren Campbell, the animal husbandry manager at The Marine Mammal Center, Irving had likely been learning to forage on his own. He is anticipated to have a long road of recovery because of his severe malnutrition.
Irving will remain in the Center’s Intensive Quarantine Unit until he is healthy enough to be moved to a rehabilitation pool pen. His long term prognosis and if he will be released back into the wild are not known at this time.
To donate and give marine life a second chance, please click here.
Follow the National Pet Rescue on Facebook for the latest animal related news.
