Sea lion rescued on Vancouver Island named after Artemis II astronaut

Sea lion Colonel Hansen is seen in this image handed out by the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society.

From the sea, to the stars: A marine mammal rescued on Vancouver Island beach now shares a name with a space explorer.

The adult male California sea lion was brought to the Vancouver Aquarium from Qualicum Beach earlier this week. The unwell animal was spotted on and off for several days, but he eventually stayed in one place long enough for rescuers to reach him, the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society says.

The sea lion has been named Colonel Hansen after Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, who is set to return to earth Friday after flying around the moon on the Artemis II mission.

“Colonel is lethargic, weak, and severely underweight,” the society wrote in a social media post Tuesday. “Over the next few days, he’ll receive intensive care and undergo diagnostics as we work to determine what’s going on.”

The sea lion weighed 150 kilograms at rescue, far lower than the average 300 kilograms for an adult male.

In an update Friday, VAMMR said Colonel remains in critical care with the team monitoring his condition closely. He is receiving fluids and medications.

VAMMR thanked BC Ferries for helping secure space for the sea lion during the busy long weekend.

Updates on Colonel Hansen’s recovery journey can be found on the VAMMR website.