Rescuers return sea lion to ocean

Andrew Edwards and Cindy Frazier

“Irvine,” the California sea lion that was removed from the San Diego

Creek -- and then named for the city in which she was rescued -- left

the Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach on Wednesday after a

week of rest and relaxation.

The female sea lion was released into the ocean from Dana Point

the same day. Irvine, believed to be 3 to 5 years old, was in

excellent health and quite aggressive, so her handlers believe she

has a good chance of survival.

“We’ll take her out to the second buoy, where she’ll have other

sea lions around her and lots of fish to eat,” said Michelle Hunter,

the mammal center’s director, as center staff prepared to transport

the sea lion.

“There are many sea lions out there, and they all appear to be

well-fed,” Hunter said. “We don’t want her back in Newport Harbor.”

Irvine apparently was swimming in the waters of Newport Harbor

before heading inland for unknown reasons.

“It’s pretty unusual,” Hunter said.

The sea lion was found at about 1 p.m. August 4, and was captured

in a ravine near Alton Parkway, between Harvard Avenue and Jamboree

Road, said Debi Geary, animal services supervisor for the Irvine

Police Department.

Her likely route to Irvine was a long swim through the Back Bay

and up the waters of San Diego Creek.

“I think that’s the only way she could get where she was,” Hunter

said.

The sea lion “kind of swam the wrong way,” Geary said.

Geary said the animal seemed at ease and was swimming around in

shallow water at the bottom of the ravine where she was found. When

rescuers with the mammal center came to help animal control officers

and firefighters catch the sea lion, the sea lion’s attitude changed,

and she became very upset when rescuers corralled her.

Volunteer Cheryl Jordan of Irvine, who was called in to assist

with the rescue, said she had to jump into the mud with the angry sea

lion to get a net over the animal.

“She was roaring so loudly some people asked if we were taking in

a mountain lion,” Jordan said.

Sea lions are difficult to handle because, unlike harbor seals and

other sea mammals, they can use all four appendages and are extremely

mobile.

“They can jump and run,” Jordan said.

Irvine also showed her teeth to handlers, which was actually

considered a good sign, because it indicated she could handle herself

in the wild.

In captivity in Laguna Beach, the sea lion seemed to calm down,

Hunter said.

Irvine weighs about 195 pounds and appears to be in good health,

despite not taking a liking to the mammal center’s meals.

Irvine wasn’t able to snack on live fish while staying in Laguna

Beach, and Hunter said the sea lion may do better in the ocean where

she can hunt for her meals.

Hunter said that before Irvine’s rescue, the mammal center has

possibly never cared for an animal that was found so far inland.

“We’ve had them in the Back Bay before,” Hunter said.