Two San Francisco Police officers cuddle and comfort a scared sea lion pup.
San Francisco Police had a bizarre call to action earlier this week when they were dispatched to resident in distress.
A sea lion pup was found stranded alongside a stairwell in the Ocean Beach Neighborhood in San Francisco at about midnight on May 30, shivering and frightened with visible injuries.
Read: Four Sea Lion Pups Are Released Back Into The Sea After 4 Months of Rehabilitation
Desperate to survive, the pup tried to cuddle with the officers for warmth and comfort.
“The officers immediately called the Marine Mammal Center and stayed with the sea lion between the hours of 1 A.M. and 9 A.M.,” the Media Relations Unit told InsideEdition.com. “They were worried the sea lion would wander off into the busy streets.”
Unaware if the pup was male or female, the officers decided to name the sea lion “George Bison,” after the call sign for the officers assigned to the Richmond District and their softball team’s mascot, a bison.
According to Lucy Saunders, a public relations specialist for the Marine Mammal Center, there have been 300 rescues of sea lion pups within the last four years.
Read: 2 Orangutans Released Back Into The Wild After Being Chained and Caged
Due to the lack of food sources and rising temperatures, adult sea lions swim further away to find food while the pups are left alone.
The sea lion pups and yearlings are usually malnourished and need a special elixir of electrolytes or fish smoothies to gain nourishment.
“We always need volunteers,” Saunders told InsideEdition.com. “We are responsible for 600 miles of the California coast, so any help counts.”
George is currently undergoing treatment at the Center to become healthy enough to go back to the sea.
The Marine Mammal Center encourages the public to keep a safe distance away from stranded animals and notify the Center’s Rescue Hotline at (415)-289-SEAL.
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