Video: Malnourished sea lion pup found wandering the streets of San Francisco

Seal pup has now been rescued and is recovering in a nearby animal rescue centre

The sea lion was found wandering the streets (AP)

An adorable sea lion pup has been rescued after it was found wandering the streets of San Francisco earlier this week.

The pup, which was christened Rubbish by animal shelter volunteers, was found cowering underneath a car in San Francisco’s Marina District on Thursday evening.

Police and local animal rescue teams were urgently called to the scene and managed to coax the animal out from under the vehicle, with all the action caught on film by passer-bys.

However, this isn’t Rubbish’s first brush with animal protection officers. Earlier this year, local media reports indicate that the same pup was found washed up on the shore severely malnourished and suffering from pneumonia.

After feeding him up – helping Rubbish gain 17 pounds – he was re-released to the wild.

But now he’s back and once again seriously underweight, volunteers have decided to keep him under observation and are planning to test for any underlying health problems.

Rubbish the pup is now recovering well (AP)

Rubbish’s situation is part of a worrying larger picture which has seen hundreds of abandoned sea lion pups wash up along the Californian shores this year.

Environmentalists and scientists believe that the stranded seal pops are the resulted of warming waters on the west coast diminishing the sea lions natural food source.