A baby sea lion found shivering and tired along a stairwell on San Francisco’s Ocean Beach got a little help from city police Monday.
San Francisco police were alerted to the discovery of the distressed pup early Monday just after 1 a.m.
Officers located the pup, who immediately began trying to warm itself next to them, police said. Not knowing whether the pup was a boy or a girl, the officers took to calling it “George Bison.”
“George” is the call sign for officers assigned to Richmond Station, police said, and the station’s softball team mascot is a bison.
Police report the officers stayed in contact with officials from The Marine Mammal Center. The officers also kept the pup company until morning to ensure it didn’t cross into oncoming traffic once commute hours began.
Once crews were available police turned George over to experts at the marine center, and are hopeful the pup will one day return to the wild.
Police and marine center encourage anyone who sees a stranded animal to not disturb it, but instead keep a safe distance away and to notify the center’s rescue hotline at 415-289-SEAL and local law enforcement authorities.
