Sick sea lions wash up in...

Sick sea lions wash up in Newport, Huntington

Two sick sea lions washed up on the beach Sunday morning, one at

the Newport Beach pier the other at Huntington Beach Pier.

The sea lions, who both appeared to be highly dehydrated and

malnourished, were immediately transported to the Friends of the Sea

Lion Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach.

While both sea lions are undergoing similar treatment at the

center, their precise recovery will be unknown for the next 48 hours,

said Michelle Hunter, director of operations at the center.

The sea lion found in Newport Beach, the older and heavier of the

two, is about 1-year-old and 58 pounds and will hopefully be released

back into the wild in about a month, Hunter said.

The other sea lion, whose recovery will be much longer, was only

6-months-old and 38 pounds and will require re-nourishment through a

feeding tube after rehydration.

Neither sea lions have shown signs of sickness due to disease or

infection and the exact cause of their dehydration is unknown, Hunter

said.