This seal pup is really lost.
The 9-month-old northern fur seal is supposed to be in Alaskan waters right now but was recently found in Fremont, California, according to its rescuers.
The seal was seen crossing Oswald Road in Fremont on Thursday morning, according to Fremont Police Department spokesperson Geneva Bosques.
Little Ozzie was picked up and is now on the way to the California Marine Mammal Center. They believe it is a baby pup but we'll know more once it has the opportunity to be seen by a vet.
Posted by Fremont Police Department on Thursday, March 24, 2016
"We got a call from a resident saying she needed assistance because there was a seal trying to cross the road," Bosques told ABC News. "Two patrol officers and an animal service officer responded and found the little [seal] on the other side of the road in someone's front yard near a bush."
The officers nicknamed the pup "Ozzie" after the street she was found on, but they soon found out the pup's real name was Kumofer, according to a responder from The Marine Mammal Center (TMMC). It turns out this isn't the first time she's been rescued.
"Upon closer inspection, the responder discovered that the seal had an ID tag on its flipper," TMMC public affairs specialist Laura Sherr told ABC News in a statement.
Lost Northern Fur Seal Found in Fremont A Northern Fur Seal was located earlier this morning today on Osgood Rd (between Auto Mall Pkwy and Washington Blvd) in Fremont. The seal was found in the front yard of a residence. The seal has no visible injuries. Two Fremont Patrol Officers and an Animal Service Officer responded. ASO Stephanie Saunders was able to gently wrap the youngster in a towel and transport it to the Tri-City Animal Shelter. The California Marine Mammal Center is responding to pick it up. The seal is tagged and we will likely get more information about this little pup when they arrive. We have nick named it Ozzie! City of Fremont, CA Government
Posted by Fremont Police Department on Thursday, March 24, 2016
Kumofer was originally rescued last November after she was found stranded and malnourished on a beach in Capitola, California, according to TMMC's head veterinarian Dr. Shawn Johnson, who is currently overseeing her care.
Earlier this month, Kumofer was released in Boedga Bay, California. She was supposed to join about 100 other seals traveling north to Alaska, Johnson said.
But instead, it looks like the pup traveled over 100 miles south to the middle of Fremont, he said.
Though Kumofer appears to be "visually active and bright," she's "very emaciated," Johnson said. The center will be conducting various physical exams to make sure she doesn't have any hidden wounds or infections.
Once Kumofer puts on more weight and is deemed healthy, the center will be able to evaluate if and when she will be released back to the wild, Johnson said.
The doctor said it's important for people not to approach animals in distress and to call for help. The Marine Mammal Center's 24-hour hotline is 415-289-SEAL.
