Sea lion pup found on Southern Calif. rooftop deck

[April 23, 2010]  NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (AP) -- Mike Kai thought one of his surfing buddies was thumping around on his rooftop deck, but it turned out to be a wayward sea lion pup, enjoying the view of Newport Beach at sunrise.

Kai said he couldn't imagine how the pinniped made it up the stairs and onto the roof early Thursday.

While Kai called Animal Control, the pup showed off, wiggling along a railing on his belly, two stories above the ground.

The sea lion was taken to the Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach, where volunteers named him Fiddler, after the Broadway musical "Fiddler on the Roof."

Staff there say he is underweight, probably because he was recently weaned and having trouble finding food on his own.

They say sea lions are mobile and curious and have been found everywhere from a restaurant kitchen to a public restroom.

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[Associated Press]

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