The U.S. Coast Guard has helped to rescue a 500-pound (226 kilogram) sea lion named Franklin that kept getting into trouble in Southern California, officials noted in a blog post Monday (Sept. 3).
Franklin was found up a creek in Irvine, Calif., early last month and moved to a local beach by officials from the Pacific Marine Mammal Center. But just days later the sea lion was spotted inland again — this time 5 miles (8 kilometers) up a flood control channel, according to the Coast Guard blog post.
Wildlife experts decided that Franklin needed to be taken farther out to sea to stay out of harm's way. The Coast Guard Cutter Edisto was called in, and the vessel brought the sea lion from San Pedro, Calif., out near Catalina Island, where he was released.
The wayward sea lion reportedly was named after Olympic swimmer Missy Franklin, who came home from the London Games this summer with four gold medals.
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