Rescued Marine Room sea lion on the mend

A now nationally known San Diego sea lion with a taste for fine dining is reported to be in stable condition since SeaWorld San Diego rescued the malnourished pup last week from an oceanfront restaurant.

While SeaWorld veterinary staff is not ready to say that the sea lion is completely “out of the woods,” it noted that the youngster has already put on 4 pounds, and her bloodwork is encouraging.

PREVIOUS: Rescued sea lion pup ‘pretty content right now’

Nicknamed Marina, the now 24-pound sea lion was discovered last Thursday by employees at the Marine Room in La Jolla, where she had sought refuge on a window seat with a view overlooking the ocean.

At the time, the 8-month-old female California sea lion was underfed and dehydrated and, at 20 pounds, was half the normal weight for her age. Blood tests show some inflammation, although it’s nothing to be concerned about, and there are no other signs of disease or infection, besides an unknown eye injury, SeaWorld reported.

“Veterinarians and animal care specialists at the marine park are cautiously optimistic about her recovery,” said a SeaWorld statement. “As with all the animals in SeaWorld’s Rescue Program, the goal is to rehabilitate her and return her to the wild, giving her a second chance at life.”

Marina is among dozens of stranded marine mammals SeaWorld’s rescue team has cared for since the beginning of the year, the majority of them — 58 — sea lions. She was in no worse condition than the others, all of whom are suffering from malnutrition and dehydration, said Kevin Robinson, a senior animal care specialist with SeaWorld.

Her course of treatment includes fluids — a Gatorade-like solution — as well as daily nutrition consisting of a mixture of ground-up fish, vitamins and water, Robinson said. In addition, a topical antibiotic is being applied to her eye abrasion.

If all goes well and her weight continues to increase, it’s likely she could be released back into the ocean within the next six to eight weeks. By then, she will have probably reached a weight of 40 pounds, which is normal for a pup her age, Robinson said.

High tides and warm ocean waters fueled by the rise of El Niño have meant a diminished food supply for the sea lions and a corresponding increase in the number of animals coming ashore. Once on the beaches, they search out places that are dry and sheltered from the wind, as Marina did when she cozied up in a Marine Room booth.

“We have had little pups of similar age who have gone and found a quiet corner in the restrooms, anything that’s a wind block,” Robinson noted. “They’re looking for warmth and protection from a rainy or windy day or the cold of the night. This animal could have just as easily shown up in the public restrooms a couple hundred yards to the north.”

Marine Room Executive Chef Bernard Guillas said he was so taken by the adorable pup that he headed out to SeaWorld on Wednesday for a special visit. Ever since he posted on Instagram a photo of the sea lion in his restaurant, media attention exploded, he said.

“At first, she was a little shy, and then she came really close to me, so close I could look at her beautiful eyes,” Guillas said of his visit. “She is looking good. I told her, get well soon so you and I can take a little ride on a boat and put you back into the big beautiful ocean.

“She told me, save some live sardines for me.”