Animal care experts from SeaWorld San Diego removed a bullet Wednesday from a sea lion that had come ashore at least four days earlier in Oceanside.
A SeaWorld team rescued the underweight and distressed pinniped last Saturday. It's believed to be between 5-10 years old.
The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that the sea lion was found with a deep, infected wound on its left flipper, and that a bullet fragment had become lodged in its shoulder. The animal was treated with antibiotics and was said to be in stable condition.
It remains unclear who may have shot the sea lion, or what the motive might have been.
The National Marine Fisheries Service is investigating the incident. The agency also is investigating a string of nine sea lion killings in Washington state.
-- Image is courtesy of SeaWorld
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