A Gill Net Injury Nearly Claims The Life Of A Young Sea Lion

The following story was shared with us by Marine Mammal Care Center Los Angeles.

On November 9, 2017, a male California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) just over 1 year of age was stranded on the beach and suffering from a life-threatening gill net injury. A gill net is a type of fishing line that is almost invisible in the water and catches anything that swims through it. Fishing line and gear is a common problem for marine mammals. Untreated injuries from them can be fatal. The California Wildlife Center rescue team was able to rescue this sea lion and bring him to Marine Mammal Care Center Los Angeles for immediate medical treatment.

Assessing And Treating The Sea Lion’s Injuries

Upon arrival the animal was evaluated by the veterinarian. The gill net was wrapped around his neck multiple times, creating large wounds on his neck and shoulders. The gill net was also wrapped around his lower jaw and cutting through both sides of the mouth. In addition to the injury, the patient had purulent discharge from the nostrils. The internal damage done by the net was unknown and required further diagnostics. The sea lion only weighed 17 kilograms (about 37 pounds), which is on the smaller side of normal.

He received an oral solution of EmerAid IC Piscivore, electrolytes, vitamins, and water to combat dehydration and nutritional deficiency. Then he was sedated to remove the remaining gill net and assess the damage it caused. The wounds were examined by the veterinarian and deemed healthy enough to heal on their own. The patient was gavage-fed a fish gruel for four days and then started eating fish on his own. He was also on a course of oral antibiotics to help with underlying infection caused by the wounds.

Once the patient was stabilized, radiographs were taken to assess the potential internal damage done by the gill net. Wound care was administered by shaving and cleaning the wounds out with a dilute cleaning solution. The wounds finally healed but formed very restrictive scar tissue that limited his range of motion and could be detrimental to his foraging success in the wild.

On January 12, 2018, he had surgery to remove the restrictive scar tissue. The procedure was smooth and successful. The patient was kept clean and as dry as possible while his surgery site healed. He maintained a good appetite during recovery. After 14 days his sutures were removed.

On February 22, 2018, radiographs of his neck and skull were taken and compared to the first ones. The radiographs revealed no abnormalities and he showed a very promising increase in his range of motion. He continued to improve while swimming with other patients. He was released on March 26, 2018, at White Point Beach weighing 44.2 kilograms (about 97 pounds).