Overview
- Irving, a California sea lion pup found near 48th Avenue and Irving Street early Thursday, was corralled by SFPD officers, city rangers and a Marine Mammal Center responder.
- After a short hold at a nearby ranger station, the team transferred the pup mid-morning to the Marine Mammal Center’s Sausalito hospital for an admission exam.
- Veterinarians are assessing the pup’s condition, sex and age, with a center spokesperson estimating Irving at about 10 months old.
- Experts say the cause of the inland detour is unclear, citing possibilities such as domoic acid exposure, habitat pressures or growing comfort around people.
- The Marine Mammal Center asks people to keep a safe distance and call 415-289-SEAL to report animals in need, noting it has rescued more than 27,000 marine mammals to date.