In this photo released by the Marine Mammal Center, officials rescue a sea lion that was seen with fishing line wrapped around its neck on from a floating platform at Pier 39 in San Francisco, Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2012. (AP Photo/The Marine Mammal Center, Hannah Schnitzer)

Ensnared sea lion removed from San Francisco pier

ASSOCIATED PRESS
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS

SAN FRANCISCO — A sea lion that was seen with fishing line wrapped around its neck has been rescued from a floating platform in San Francisco.

But a second, similarly entangled sea lion slipped into the water by Pier 39 before a team from the Marine Mammal Center could inject it with a sedative and transport the distressed animal for a checkup.

Spokesman Jim Oswald says the rescued sea lion, a male between the ages of 3 and 4, was resting at the center's Sausalito headquarters on Tuesday afternoon and appeared to be in good health.

A veterinarian plans to remove the fishing line on Wednesday because it does not appear to be endangering the sea lion, which the center's staff has named Blonde Bomber.

Out of the 545 animals the center treated last year, 14 were entrapped by ocean trash.

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