Sea Lions Dying, Suffering Major Injuries After Getting Entangled In Man-Made Debris

SAUSALITO (KCBS) -- Veterinarians at the Mammal Center in Sausalito have seen an influx of seals and sea lions seriously injured after they became entangled in man-made materials. Many have died.

It's not just fishing lines. Crab pots and plastic bottle wraps are nasty culprits.

Three-year-old "O'Neil" is expected to survive.

Despite the plastic bottle wrap around her neck, it took a full year before the female sea lion would let volunteers rescue her.

Her rescuers said she suffered a deep gash. She's lost an ear already.

Veterinarian Shaun Johnson believes she was growing up with it. It will take weeks of care and food to get her back to strength.

Snout, another sea lion, had fishing line wrapped so tightly around his nose, they had to sew it back on.

He has fully recovered, but will probably never be able to breathe through his nose.

He finally returned to sea on Friday.