Sea lion recovering in LA after marine center found two bullets in his head | Los Angeles
A sea lion rescued in Los Angeles is recovering after a marine care center discovered he had two bullets in his head.
The sea lion, named Confetti, was rescued from Ballona Creek, a watershed connected to Santa Monica Bay, on January 5 by the Los Angeles Marine Mammal Care Center. announced on Thursday.
Confetti too leptospirosis test was positiveIn a Facebook post, the center shared a photo showing the sea lion recovering, noting that it is a bacterial infection that affects the kidneys and can be fatal if left untreated.
X-rays of the sea lion’s skull taken during their initial examination revealed two bullets in his head, “suggesting that this was in fact the second time he narrowly escaped death,” the center wrote.
“Unfortunately, it is not uncommon to find sea lions shot by humans, demonstrating the prevalence of violence these animals face. Many die, but some, like Confetti, survive,” the center said.
The marine mammal health and conservation organization, which does year-round rescues along the entire Los Angeles County coastline from Malibu to Long Beach, said Confetti’s blood work showed “related liver abnormalities.”
When Confetti was first rescued, the group’s veterinary experts gave the sea lion supportive medications and antibiotics and gave him fluids to ease dehydration.
“When Confetti arrived at our hospital, he was noticeably lethargic and remained that way for the first few days of care. He showed no interest in the fish and rarely moved. Our veterinary experts were quite concerned due to his poor condition and lack of improvement. But finally, on the fourth day of care, he started to move and became more alert,” the care center said.
Confetti successfully chased and ate live fish on day seven and ate herring the next day, the center said, adding: “His resilience offers hope after a very challenging year for sea lions.”
Last spring a unusually high number of confused mammals They were showing up off the coast of Southern California, sickened by toxic algal blooms.
Dave Bader, a marine biologist at the centre, told the Guardian on Friday morning that Confetti “seemed to be feeling better” and was showing signs of recovery. “His typical behavior was to lie down sick.
“All indications are that he looks really good… There’s a really good chance he’ll be released,” Bader continued. “He’s a beautiful, big boy. He still has a lot of room to grow. He’s an amazing animal.”
Bader said the center regularly sees animals recovering from gunshot wounds. He said that the center confirmed that 10 animals were shot with a firearm in 2024 and four last year, but that not every animal was x-rayed at the center, so the number could be higher. And the center only accepts mammals that have survived and need treatment, so it doesn’t pursue animals that have been shot.
Bader added that some mammals that suffered gunshot wounds suffered visual impairment due to blows to their heads. “It’s terrifying… but these animals are incredibly tough and resilient.”
