The 6-year-old girl attacked by a sea lion off a dock is getting antibiotics to stave off a condition that could lead to loss of fingers or hands.
Immortalized in a video by Simon Fraser University student Michael Fujiwara (nearing 25 million views), the unnamed girl who was attacked in Richmond, British Columbia was taken to the B.C. Children’s Hospital, “where she was prescribed antibiotics for a superficial wound on her lower body measuring 5 centimeters by 10 centimeters,” according to People magazine.
There was no immediate word from Southern California wildlife authorities about the dangers of seals or sea lions attacking people. Marina del Rey and marinas in Orange County have significant populations of the animals that usually mix with warm-weather crowds without incident.
NPR reported that her family contacted Vancouver Aquarium to discuss treatment for “seal finger,” which is resistant to some antibiotics.
Deana Lancaster, a spokesman for the Vancouver Aquarium, was quoted as saying: “The family saw the media reports and got in touch with us. She did get a superficial wound, and she’s going to get the right treatment.
“If any member of our animal care team receives a bite from a seal or sea lion, they take a letter from our vet with them to the hospital, which explains that the infection is resistant to some antibiotics.”
Meanwhile, the girl’s family is denying it was feeding the sea lions.
“There was somebody beside them that was trying to feed them,” the girl’s father told CBC News. “Also, they weren’t trying to take pictures or anything.”
The dad, with last name of Lau, is a resident of Vancouver, and credited the girl’s grandfather’s quick thinking for jumping into the water and raising her up.
“If he had one- or two-second doubt about that, my girl could have been gone by then. That reaction, makes him a hero,” he told the CBC.