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Sea lion pup spotted on San Francisco sidewalk rescued

SAN FRANCISCO – A stranded sea lion pup has been spotted wandering a San Francisco sidewalk in a scene that marine rescuers warn could become commonplace as the ocean heats up.

Video from the Marine Mammal Center in nearby Sausalito shows the male sea lion nicknamed Rubbish hiding under a car Thursday and waddling away from rescuers. They eventually got a net around the pup, moved it into a crate and took it to the centre.

This photo provided by The Marine Mammal Center shows a sea lion pup at the Center in Sausalito, Calif., after its rescue from a San Francisco street Thursday, April 30, 2015. Sarah van Schagen/The Marine Mammal Center

KNTV reports that a veterinarian there recognized Rubbish, who also was rescued in Santa Barbara in February. Then, he was treated for pneumonia and malnutrition.

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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says more than 1,800 sea lion pups have been stranded in California since January because of a warming ocean and dwindling food supply.

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