By Nora O鈥橫alley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter HA-SHILTH-SA

Vet staff from the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society (VAMMRS) are on standby this week along Vancouver Island鈥檚 Pacific Rim Highway after a California sea lion was spotted over the holidays on several occasions by different drivers, stranded on the road.

Vet staff say the marine mammal likely followed fish up a river and into Kennedy Lake, near Ucluelet, then staggered up a path near Highway 4. Emergency crews are working alongside Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and aquarium personnel to capture the confused sea lion.

鈥淚deally, what I鈥檇 like to do is bring this animal back to the rescue facility and have a good look at him. I鈥檓 not convinced 100 per cent that he is perfectly normal,鈥� said Martin Haulena, the executive director and head vet at VAMMRS.

鈥淏ut if we can鈥檛 get him back safely here, relocation is still a possibility. I鈥檒l leave that up to DFO,鈥� he said.

Vancouver-based vet staff Sion Cahoon and Katie Dantoni have been surveying the highway and Kennedy Lake area where the sea lion was spotted by a driver on Dec. 29, 2024, but they said the marine mammal hasn鈥檛 been seen since they arrived on Jan. 5. They are prepared to use a sedative dart to capture the lost sea lion.

Haulena told the Ha-shilth-sa that the sea lion is 鈥渘ot acting quite right鈥�.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not super common, however we do have animals that find themselves in weird places. Unfortunately, a lot of the time there is something wrong with these animals, there is something wrong with the brain function,鈥� Haulena explained.

Things like cancers, biotoxins or gun shot wounds could all affect the brain and cause long-term effect, according to Haulena, as well as a whole host of bacteria, viruses and fungus that could cause neurological deficits and lead to the animal to acting abnormally.

Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation Lands and Natural Resources Manager Saya Masso agrees.

鈥淚t鈥檚 odd that it would be on its lonesome. That might mean that it鈥檚 sick or hungry. It鈥檚 not favourable to anybody to see it suffering out there,鈥� said Masso.

He went on to say that sea lions get into the lake on occasion, but they don鈥檛 normally hang around all by themselves.

鈥淚n historic times, the sea lion would have likely been harvested and utilized to its full extent traditionally,鈥� said Masso. 鈥淚n a perfect world, it would just be sent back into the ocean to find its family.鈥�

鈥淚 do worry about the animal鈥檚 safety and I do worry about people鈥檚 safety, of course,鈥� Haulena continued. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a stretch of highway that has some blind corners. It鈥檚 a little bit worrisome.鈥�

Anyone that sees the sea lion is encouraged to contact VAMMRS at 604-258-SEAL (7325) or the BC Marine Mammal Response Network 1-800-465-4336, or by emailing DFO.ORR-ONS.MPO鈫昫fo-mpo.gc.ca or VHF Channel 16.