A sea lion rescued from Ballona Creek earlier this month is recovering after treatment for a bacterial infection, a process that revealed this wasn’t the first time the animal had brush with death.
During initial exam skull x-rays, the team at Marine Mammal Care Center Los Angeles determined the sea lion had two bullets in his head.
“Sadly, it is not unusual to find sea lions that have been shot by humans, highlighting the prevalence of violence these animals face,” the Care Center said in a Facebook post. “Many die, but some, like Confetti, survive.”
Confetti, the Care Center’s first patient of the year, was rescued Jan. 5 from the creek, a channeled stream in southwestern Los Angeles County. He tested positive for leptospirosis, a bacterial infection that affects the kidneys that can be fatal if not treated.
Blood work also revealed liver problems.
Confetti received medications and fluids to help with dehydration.
After a few days, Confetti showed some improvement and started moving around. By day seven, he chased and ate live fish on his way to recovery.
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