California officials say a man was arrested for using a large stick to beat a poisoned, pregnant sea lion in Ventura County.
The incident unfolded at the Ventura Beach Promenade, according to the Channel Islands Marine & Wildlife Institute. A dispatcher saw the man on the beach via several surveillance cameras.
‘The sea lion continued to exhibit poisoning symptoms that included lethargy, seizures, and involuntary muscle spasms.’
The man was captured very soon after and found to be possessing methamphetamine, police said.
Officers from the Ventura Police, California State Parks, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service collaborated in order to rescue the wild animal. The sea lion will be provided health care by the Channel Islands Marine & Wildlife Institute.
An extensive medical examination determined that the sea lion was pregnant but concluded that the prognosis was “not good.” The sea lion weighed 197 pounds.
Officials said the sea lion demonstrated symptoms of poisoning from domoic acid, which is a neurotoxin that accumulates in fish that consume algae and threatens other aquatic wildlife when they eat the fish.
The unidentified man was charged with felony animal cruelty, felony possession of a controlled substance, and violation of federal laws protecting marine mammals. He is 32 years old.
X-rays found no fractures from the attack, but the sea lion continued to exhibit poisoning symptoms that included lethargy, seizures, and involuntary muscle spasms. Officials are also monitoring the sea lion pup, as the neurotoxin can cause prenatal death.
The motive for the attack is still under investigation.
Images of he sea lion can be viewed on the news report from KCAL-TV on YouTube.
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