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Sea lion pup rescued after head gets stuck in diver’s mask

Posted at 9:35 PM, May 29, 2019
and last updated 2019-05-29 21:35:37-04

ENCINITAS, Calif. -- SeaWorld crews rescued a young sea lion Tuesday after beachgoers noticed a diver's swim mask lodged around its neck.

When the male sea lion pup was spotted at Swami's Beach in Encinitas, he was malnourished and dehydrated, according to SeaWorld San Diego. The mask, estimated to have been wrapped around the pup's neck for several weeks, was preventing it from foraging and eating.

After the rescue team cut the mask off, they saw the resulting wound on the pup's neck was infected. Rescuers brought the pup to SeaWorld's Animal Health and Rescue Center, where a veterinarian treated the pup and gave him an antibiotic.

Related: California Highway Patrol rescues baby sea lion from busy highway

The park will monitor the pup during his rehabilitation in hopes of returning him to the ocean in the next few months.

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A young sea lion whose head was stuck in a diver’s swim mask was rescued by SeaWorld Tuesday. When the pup was spotted at Swami’s Beach, he was malnourished and dehydrated. The mask, estimated to have been wrapped around his neck for weeks, was preventing him from foraging and eating. When the rescue team cut the mask off, they saw the resulting wound on the pup’s neck was infected, so they brought him to the park’s rescue center for treatment. The park will continue to monitor the pup in hopes of returning him to the ocean in the next few months. More via link in bio. 📹: @seaworldsandiego #sealion #seaworld #swamis

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