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Sea Lion Rescued from Deadly Rope in Canadian Bay
17 Dec, 2025
Summary
- A sea lion was rescued after a rope deeply cut its neck.
- Experts tracked the animal for over a month before the rescue.
- The rescued sea lion was named 'Stl'eluqum' by the Cowichan Tribes.
A Steller sea lion, weighing 330 pounds and suffering from a rope cutting deeply into its neck, was rescued in Cowichan Bay, Canada. Marine mammal experts had been searching for the animal for over a month.
The rescue effort, a collaboration between the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society and Fisheries and Oceans Canada, involved a team of nine members who successfully sedated the sea lion. After being freed from the nylon rope, she received antibiotics and was tagged before being released back into the bay.
The Cowichan Tribes Marine Monitoring Team also assisted, naming the sea lion "Stl'eluqum," meaning "fierce" or "exceptional." This rescue underscores the significant threat posed by marine debris, such as ropes from boats or crab traps, to marine life, often causing severe suffering and death.
