Malnourished sea lion pups rescued near north jetty at Oceanside Harbor

OCEANSIDE - Three malnourished sea lion pups were rescued near the north jetty at Oceanside Harbor and at Buccaneer Beach in South Oceanside today by Oceanside Police Harbor Patrol, then taken to Sea World for rehabilitation. Seal lion pups were recovered from rocks near Oceanside Pier about 9:20 a.m.

''This time of year seal moms and pups are separating, and the pups are looking for food and can't find it and come up on the rocks,'' said Oceanside Police Sgt. Ignacio Lopez. ''We had two pups on the rocks who couldn't find their way.''

Lopez said Harbor Patrol and lifeguards were called in to scoop up the baby sea lions and take them to Oceanside Pier lifeguard headquarters.

A SeaWorld rescue crew was called in to pick them up.

Lifeguards said food for sea lions and other marine mammals is scarce this time of year and malnourished animals are turning up more frequently along county beaches.