A heroic marine life volunteer removed a knife wedge into the snout of a sea lion after the injured animal was spotted near Channel Islands Harbor in Oxnard.
The Channel Islands Marine & Wildlife Institute (CIMWI) posted startling images of the stabbed animal after a heroic volunteer was able to safely remove the weapon from the sea lion’s face.
“Thankfully, the knife missed all vital structures of the sea lion’s face and the wound will heal on its own,” CIMWI said in a social media post.
The sea lion was first spotted around 7:20 a.m. Monday near Hollywood Beach. The Channel Islands Harbor Patrol reported the injured animal and the institute’s team assembled to help. Volunteers were able to catch up to the marine animal near the Channel Islands Harbor public boat launch ramp and removed the knife.
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“CIMWI used a pole with a hook blade on the end to snag the belt cutter slot on the handle of the knife,” the institute’s social media post said. “Our volunteer pulled the hook blade straight and used slight upward presser to avoid cutting the sea lion as the blade came out of its face.”
According to the institute, the sea lion jumped off the dock as soon as the knife was removed and was then swimming for about 10 minutes before it decided to sun-sit on a nearby dock.
Thanks to the swift action of CIMWI, the animal “now has a second chance at life,” according to the institute.
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It is unclear how the sea lion was stabbed. A description of a possible person who could have stabbed the sea lion was not immediately available.
