Sea lion pup found on SF street corner malnourished but 'active and quite feisty,' officials say

SAN FRANCISCO -- A California sea lion pup found last week on a San Francisco street corner is malnourished but "active and quite feisty," The Marine Mammal Center said Monday.

The sea lion, believed to be about 10 months old, had apparently wandered into the city's Outer Sunset neighborhood and was discovered early Thursday morning, authorities said.

The pup was spotted near 48th and Irving Streets, one block from Ocean Beach and Sunset Dunes park. A trained responder from the Marine Mammal Center was joined by San Francisco park rangers and police officers to safely corral the pup, now named 'Irving', into a carrier crate.

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Dubbed 'Irving' by his rescuers, Irving weighed in at 40 pounds and is considered malnourished, the Marine Mammal Center said.

"The sea lion is active and quite feisty, which is a positive initial sign in terms of general behavior," the center said in a news release on Monday.

During an exam by veterinarians, a series of blood samples was also taken to determine whether there was any underlying ailment.

Irving is being tube-fed a fish smoothie blend two times per day to boost hydration and weight; offers of whole herring will also begin shortly.

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The quick actions by police, recreation and parks staff, and Ocean Avenue Animal Hospital gave the young sea lion a second chance at life, said Lauren Campbell, animal husbandry manager at The Marine Mammal Center.

"As a roughly 10-month-old pup in his first year of learning how to forage on his own, this animal has a long road to recovery due to his severe malnutrition," Campbell said. "We are hopeful that in the coming weeks, with continued specialized care, this pup starts to make positive strides toward recovery and release."

Irving will be held in the Center's Intensive Quarantine Unit until clearing medical protocols, before likely being transferred this week to a traditional rehabilitation pool pen. A long-term prognosis and potential release timeline are not currently known.