The hunt is on for a wayward sea lion who has been spotted multiple times on a Vancouver Island highway.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) says the 135-kilogram (300-pound) male California sea lion has been spotted multiple times on Highway 4 along Kennedy Lake, east of Ucluelet, since late December.
DFO marine mammal coordinator Paul Cottrell said officials believe the sea lion swam into Kennedy Lake through an ocean drainage while seeking prey, and became lost.
The sea lion was last seen on Friday and Saturday, and has been typically appearing at night.
Sion Cahoon Veterinary technologist with Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Centre said crews spent Sunday night patrolling the highway but were unable to spot the animal.
“That could mean he has made it back to the ocean where he is supposed to be, or it’s a big lake,” she said.
“He could be anywhere on any of the shores around here.”
Officials aren’t just worried about the sea lion’s safety, but about dangers on the road as well.
“This is a California sea lion that at night is quite dark, and the animal has been right on the highway, and of course, it’s a busy highway … you can have rain and fog, and so really dangerous for the animal and also for the motorists,” Cottrell said.
“You are coming around some of those corners and you really can’t see anything, so imagine there is some big animal in the middle of the road, your instinct is going to be to swerve away from it, so you could get into a really bad accident,” added Cahoon.
Cottrell said officials are also worried about the animal’s condition. He has been losing weight and appears to be sustaining injuries from climbing up and down the rocky slopes from the lake to the highway.
He added that there are fish in the lake, but that they are likely insufficient to sustain the sea lion.
Fisheries officers, the RCMP, the B.C. Conservation Officer Service and experts from the Vancouver Aquarium are all in the area looking for the animal.
But Cottrell said they’ve been engaged in a “cat and mouse” game. The sea lion has been popping up at a variety of different locations along the highway, and has been known to travel up to a kilometre down the road.
Fisheries officials believe the sea lion is trying to make his way back to the ocean, but hasn’t been able to find the channel that connects to the ocean.
Officials are urging anyone driving in the area to slow down and to keep their eyes on the road in case the sea lion appears.
Cottrell is also asking anyone who sees him to call the Marine Mammal Incident Hotline at 1-800-465-4336.