Sea lion found at Corte Madera car dealership being nursed back to health - San Francisco Chronicle

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A mature female sea lion is being nursed back to health two weeks after she was discovered waddling through a row of shiny sedans at a car dealership in suburban Marin County, according to the Marine Mammal Center.

The 220-pound sea lion was discovered Nov. 2 flapping around the parking lot at Corte Madera Mini of Marin. It is likely she was over-zealously chasing a fish supper up Corte Madera Marsh State Marine Park before clambering onto land, looking both ways and crossing San Clemente Drive, where she ended up checking out a selection of Minis that, while stylish, are hardly sea lion-sized.

The dealership is to the south of the Acura car lot and to the north of the La-Z-Boy Home Furnishing and Decor store. Either would have been good choices too.

Due to the safety risks posed by the busy roadway, the animal — named Mini — was quickly rescued and transported to the Center’s Sausalito hospital for rehabilitation. She was not asked for her license and registration.

“Mini has made great early progress during her rehabilitation and we’re encouraged by her energetic demeanor and active eating skills,” said Dr. Cara Field, Medical Director at The Marine Mammal Center. “Once this animal’s rear flipper heals and bloodwork shows no signs of ill health, our team will return this sea lion back to her ocean home.”

Center veterinary experts checked her for signs of injury, abnormal neurological behavior, and other potential ailments. While she suffered from some joint arthritis in its right rear flipper, she was found to be in good form. The team is also taking extra precautions to further limit the amount of interaction and stimulation around her due to some early signs of the animal’s high interest in people — not to mention automobiles.

“Each of these animals presents an opportunity to learn more about the threats they face in the wild and continue to improve rehabilitation efforts for this sentinel species,” Field said.

J.K. Dineen is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jdineen@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sfjkdineen

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November 16, 2020 at 12:36PM
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Sea lion found at Corte Madera car dealership being nursed back to health - San Francisco Chronicle

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