Silke Jasso
(You can watch the video here)
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When Calder Nord noticed a struggling sea lion pup in the waters off Santa Cruz, Calif., he knew he had to do something.
The surf instructor, who was giving a lesson at the time, jumped to action and rescued the cute little guy. In return, the sea lion thanked him with some pretty gnarly snuggles.
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In the video, Nord keeps the pup warm between his outstretched legs while they wait for The Marine Mammal Center to arrive and take it to a rehab center. The sea lion can then be seen nearly spooning Nord, angling to get comfortable — and to bask in the sunshine.
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Laura Sherr of the Marine Mammal Center told KSBW8 the sea lion was malnourished and in need of rescue, but cautioned that “humans should be wary of taking matters into their own hands, as it’s tough to tell if a baby animal has been abandoned or if its mother is just out gathering food.”
