San Francisco residents in the Outer Sunset were roused by flashing lights early Thursday when a sea lion wandered onto a city street. Video shows the animal at 48th Avenue and Irving Street as officers and park rangers surrounded and worked to corral it.
Tamara Barak Aparton, a San Francisco Parks & Recreation spokesperson, said it “wasn’t an arrest, exactly,” but officers were trying to take a California sea lion into custody after it had come out of the ocean and onto the street. Officials located a dog crate large enough for the pup and placed it in the bike storage area at a nearby ranger station while they awaited pickup by the Marine Mammal Center.
The rescue group has named the animal Irving but has not yet determined its sex or whether it is sick. “We are all rooting for him,” Barak Aparton said. Authorities said they hope Irving will be treated if necessary and returned to the Pacific as soon as possible.
Daniel Costa, a UC Santa Cruz ecology professor who has studied sea lions around the world, said the animal appears to be a healthy pup at first glance. Costa noted that some sea lions are losing a bit of their fear of people as they become more accustomed to human presence; he sometimes calls very friendly, food-motivated individuals “sea dogs,” comparing their energy and drive to that of a Husky or an Irish Setter.
Costa also warned people not to approach wild sea lions. While these animals typically try to flee, they can bite if cornered and have very sharp teeth. He said domoic acid poisoning is one possible cause in some strandings, but growing populations and limited coastal habitat may also push animals to explore urban areas. Rescuers and the Marine Mammal Center will evaluate Irving and determine the best course of care.