A female Steller's sea lion, a protected species, has been rescued after being found with a dangerous plastic ring wrapped around its neck near the port town of Nevelsk on Russia's Sakhalin Island. The animal was spotted tangled in the plastic loop while resting on a breakwater rock among other sea lions.
First Use of Remote Anesthesia
For the first time, environmentalists were permitted to use remote anesthesia to subdue the sea lion, with medication supplied by the regional Ministry of Health. The rescue group "Friends of the Ocean" approached the breakwater and fired a dart at the animal. Rescuers then carefully navigated the rocks to remove the plastic ring, ending the sea lion's ordeal.
Severe Injury and Recovery
The plastic ring had cut deeply into the sea lion's flesh, leaving a severe wound that rescuers feared would worsen if not addressed. After removing the ring, they administered a second medication to reverse the anesthesia and monitored the animal until it regained consciousness.
The successful rescue took place on a breakwater near Nevelsk, one of the few places where Steller sea lions gather directly in a town port. Hundreds of these animals often pack the area, but marine debris has polluted the environment, posing serious risks to their safety.
