A sea lion in critical condition was rescued from Qualicum Beach over the weekend, and is now being treated by the team at the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society (VAMMRS).

Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society says the sea lion was reported on a beach in Qualicum Beach, and “he remained in one location long enough for us to safely respond.”

The VAMMRS team, along with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, was able to sedate the sea lion and bring him to the rescue centre.

Now, the “lethargic, weak, and severely underweight” marine mammal is being named after a Canadian icon making headlines for very different reasons.

The VAMMRS team named him after Jeremy Hansen, the Canadian astronaut who is currently on his way back from a trip around the moon.

“Named in honour of Canadian astronaut Colonel Jeremy Hansen who was aboard the Artemis II at the time of this patient’s rescue,” Colonel Hansen’s patient page says.

READ MORE: Jeremy Hansen challenges future generations to break new Artemis record

Colonel Hansen the sea lion was transported from Qualicum Beach to Vancouver with the help of BC Ferries.

“A HUGE thank you to BC Ferries for helping us secure space on a busy long weekend ferry, making his quick transfer possible,” VAMMRS said in a Facebook post.

Colonel Hansen weighed 150 kg when he was admitted, and the University of British Columbia’s Marine Mammal Research Unit says an average weight for a male sea lion is about 200-300 kg.

VAMMRS says it will be providing updates on Colonel Hansen on his patient page here.