Dr. Mandsager (holding pole) prepares to sedate a sea lion that is entangled in a trawl net.
On March 18, Dr. Steve Brown of Animal Medical Care of Newport called CVM anesthesiologist Dr. Ron Mandsager to see if he was available to assist with the rescue/disentanglement of a female Steller sea lion. Dr. Thomas Riebold volunteered to cover clinics for him so he was able to lend assistance. Dr. Brown provided Dr. Mandsager with concentrated medetomidine as well as other drugs and equipment for the rescue. Dr. Mandsager met up with Jim Rice and Markus Horning and several other staff members from OSU’s Marine Mammal Institute, and they proceeded down the coast to Sea Lion Caves near Florence, Ore.
Once there, Rice, Horning and Mandsager climbed down into the cave to assess the situation. With help from additional staff members, they were able to use a pole syringe to administer sedatives, and after a few minutes the sea lion was sedate enough to allow them to cut her free from the entangling net material. Once free, she clambered over the rocks and swam away. Without their assistance, the sea lion would have starved to death on the rocks. Although it is impossible to know the final outcome, they were able to give her a chance — a very satisfying feeling!
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