In this May 26, 2015 photo, A California sea lion swims by beach balls tied to a dock in the East End Mooring Basin in Astoria, Ore. The Port of Astoria is attempting to use the beach balls as a sea lion deterrent according to the Daily Astorian. (Joshua Bessex/Daily Astorian via AP)
May 27, 2015 - 7:44 PM
SAN DIEGO - A giant sea lion impaled by a homemade spear is recovering at SeaWorld after being rescued just off the Southern California coast.
Los Angeles news station KNBC-TV reports (http://bit.ly/1KzORi8 ) that a team spent much of Tuesday searching Channel Islands Harbor before spotting the injured male sea lion nicknamed Bubba.
Rescuers managed to hit the animal with tranquilizer darts and drag him ashore in a net. He's estimated to weigh more than 600 pounds.
Veterinarian Sam Dover discovered the blade was so deeply embedded that it had to be cut out with a scalpel. Dover says it appears Bubba was intentionally stabbed.
The metal spear was taken as evidence. Harming a sea lion is a federal offence.
Bubba is expected to return to the ocean after recovering at SeaWorld San Diego.
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Information from: KNBC-TV, http://www.nbc4.tv/
News from © The Associated Press, 2015