RIO DE JANEIRO, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- A sea lion from Antarctica made a rare and unexpected visit to Rio de Janeiro's world-famous Ipanema Beach on Wednesday, an unusual sight for this time of year.

The animal was first spotted resting on the sand, prompting the Fire Department's Maritime Rescue Group to secure the area. A specialized rescue team later arrived to assess the situation.

Rescue officials identified the sea lion as a young male in good physical condition, though visibly exhausted after a long journey carried by ocean currents from Antarctica.

Sea lions are not typically found along Brazil's coastline. However, in recent years, sightings of them have increased in the country's southern waters, a trend experts attribute to climate change and rising ocean temperatures. ■