A sea lion found Sunday at La Jolla Cove with a 10-foot gaff pole in its back has died, SeaWorld San Diego announced Thursday.
The wound from the pole — which has a hook on one end and is used for fishing — caused a significant infection and necrosis, or the death of surrounding tissue, according to theme park officials.
A necropsy also found 101 stones inside the sea lion's stomach, weighing about 5 1/2 pounds total. Such a finding is very unusual, according to SeaWorld.
"SeaWorld would like to thank the San Diegans who contacted us after he was seen on the rocks in La Jolla," theme park officials said in a statement. "As with all the animals rescued by SeaWorld, it was our hope that we could have provided this sea lion a second chance at life."
Officials reported Sunday the pole extended 3 inches into the 200-pound animal.
