An emaciated sea lion found wandering on land in Brisbane is being treated with the goal of being released back into the wild, authorities said.
An officer with the Brisbane Police Department initially observed the California sea lion crossing the Sierra Point Parkway and heading toward the northbound Highway 101 on-ramp Friday. The officer used his personal car to help slow traffic and contacted police personnel for assistance, the agency said in a Facebook post.
Officers secured traffic and worked to prevent the pinniped from wandering into traffic until staff from the Marine Mammal Center could transport him to safety, police said.
Rescue personnel said they had been trying to locate the sea lion, whom they named Thelam, for several days after sightings near Coyote Point and surrounding shoreline areas. They determined he was just under 1 year old, very underweight and in need of urgent care.
Marine Mammal Center workers transported Thelam to their veterinary hospital, where he was scheduled for an admission exam Saturday, a spokesperson said. Treatment, other than feeding, will depend on the results of tests.
Police remind the public to maintain a safe distance of at least 50 yards when encountering distressed marine wildlife. Injured and wayward sea lions should be reported to the Marine Mammal Center at 415-289-7325.
Pinnipeds are a major Bay Area attraction, particularly at Pier 39 in San Francisco, where a 2,000-pound Steller sea lion, three times the size of a California sea lion, was spotted in recent weeks. Sea lions are present in the Bay Area year-round, though their numbers fluctuate based on migration and food supply.