Jim Rice of Oregon Marine Mammal Stranding Network confirmed that they are observing the sea lion, which he said appears to have some sort of line wrapped around its neck. Despite this, the sea lion is reported to still be “very active,” he said.
“We are exploring ways to treat this animal,” Rice added. “Unfortunately, sea lions flee into the water when they are approached and can easily drown when sedated with drugs, so our options for response are limited.”
To add to the challenge, the sea lion has not been predictably popping up at any of the docks in the bay, making it harder to asses how to remove the rope from its neck.
“Unfortunately, these sorts of entanglements are fairly common,” Rice said. “Hundreds of sea lions are believed to be entangled in fishery gear and marine debris along the west coast annually.”
People can report entangled or distressed marine mammals to the NOAA West Coast Region Stranding Hotline at 1-866-767-6114 or online through a stranding report.