Rescuers Turn the Tide for a Sick Sea Lion

One thing is certain. The rescue of a sea lion from the Palos Verdes Peninsula shoreline Monday was no ordinary affair. Rescuers determined that the 300-pound mammal, found sick and stranded on the rocks below 300-foot cliffs at Lunada Bay, could not be lifted up the cliffs. So at least a dozen people, including lifeguards, animal control officers and surfers, decided the only solution was a rescue by sea. It took five hours. First, a large carrier used by airlines to transport animals was found. The sea lion, a female dubbed “Salty” by its rescuers, was put inside the carrier, and it was hoisted into a dinghy and tied down. Battling four-foot swells, the rescuers strained to keep the small boat from capsizing as it was towed offshore into calmer waters and placed in a larger boat. Salty was then sped to an animal care center at Dockweiller Beach. “I was surprised how calm she stayed throughout the whole thing,” said Tori Matthews, an animal control officer with the Southern California Humane Society. The next day, Salty was taken to Sea World in San Diego. On Wednesday, she was reported in satisfactory condition. The exact cause of her illness was still unknown, but may have been brought about by a difficult pregnancy, which resulted in a miscarriage at Dockweiller, a Sea World spokeswoman said.