After many recent day and night hours wandering around tent cities and covering violent confrontations between protesters and police, KQED's Mina Kim was taken pity on today and sent to Rodeo Beach in the Marin Headlands to watch sea lions being released into the ocean. Making the assignment even plummier, the sea lions are named Leopico, Teahupoo, and Cranberry Sauce. Though it's possible they won't retain those names underwater.
The three males had been rescued by the Marine Mammal Center in Marin. Two had a bacterial infection called leptospirosis, which can cause kidney failure, the other suffered from malnutrition.
The center has taken in about 400 California sea lions this year.
This guy looks real happy to be given sea duty again:
Listen to the radio story.