"The sea lion weighed about 200 pounds and appeared to be in poor condition, said Giancarlo Rulli, a spokesperson for the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito. It was reactive and registered the volunteers' presence but was lethargic. The volunteers worked together to corral the animal into a large metal box as a crowd of beachgoers formed to watch the rescue in progress. The crowd applauded once the sea lion was safely secured in the box and the volunteers carried it up the beach."
"The rescue comes in the middle of a severe outbreak of leptospirosis, a bacterial infection that causes kidney failure in sea lions. The sea lion was taken to the Castroville triage center, where it stayed overnight. Monday morning, the animal was found dead. It will be transported to the Marine Mammal Center's main hospital in Sausalito. There, it will undergo an animal autopsy to try and determine the cause of the sea lion's poor condition, strange behavior and its eventual death."
Volunteers from the Marine Mammal Center rescued an approximately 200-pound California sea lion that washed up at Natural Bridges State Beach. The animal was reactive but lethargic and appeared in poor condition. Volunteers corralled the sea lion into a large metal box amid a crowd and transported it to the Castroville triage center, where it stayed overnight. The next morning the animal was found dead and will be taken to the Marine Mammal Center's main hospital in Sausalito for an autopsy to determine cause of illness and death. The rescue occurred during a severe leptospirosis outbreak that has affected over 450 sea lions since July 1, surpassing previous record years.
Read at The Mercury News
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