Redondo Beach Yacht Club Members Help Save Sea Lion Pup's Life: Report

REDONDO BEACH, CA — King Harbor Yacht Club members in Redondo Beach were surprised last week to find an emaciated sea lion pup taking refuge from the cold in their kitchen, the Daily Breeze reported.

Recent dramatic weather conditions could have led this 6 to 7-month-old sea lion pup, nicknamed King, to the yacht club kitchen at 9 p.m. on Jan. 26 in search of warmth and a helping hand. Pat Light, director of the board, told the Daily Breeze said the pup looked small and unwell.

“I go back there and see this little sea lion right in front of the stove,” Light said to the Daily Breeze reporter. “I thought, ‘Well that’s unusual.’ And everyone’s like, ‘What do we do?’”

Yacht club members decided to contact San Pedro's Marine Mammal Care Center, which specializes in nurturing sick and injured sea lions and harbor seals, and helped get King to the facility for care.

Staff Veterinarian Lauren Palmer told the Daily Breeze that the pup needed to be tube-fed when he first arrived but is otherwise making a good recovery with no known health issues other than malnutrition. King will remain at the facility until he is healthy enough to be released back into the ocean, which Palmer said could take six to eight weeks.

Read more from the Daily Breeze: Sea lion pup finds help in Redondo Beach, now recovering in San Pedro facility