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700-Pound Sea Lion Returned To Ocean After Wandering To Creek

Sea Lion Rescue
(credit: Irvine Police Department)

IRVINE (AP) — A 700-pound sea lion that was captured by police after making its way up a Southern California creek has been returned to the ocean.

The Orange County Register reports the male sea lion was spotted basking on the bank of San Diego Creek on Saturday, where the water was at about two feet deep.

Irvine police Lt. Julia Engen said officers used horns and made other noises to keep the animal from going further inland. She said they then corralled the sea lion into a giant net before turning him to experts with the Pacific Marine Mammal Center.

Michele Hunter, the center's director of animal care, said the sea lion appeared to be healthy and was released into the ocean at Newport Beach.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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