Ryan ChartrandAuthorities found three elephant seals who were shot and killed at the Point Piedras Blancas elephant seal colony near San Simeon Saturday. They are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and a violation of MMPA can result in civil penalties of up to $12,000 and criminal fines of up to $20,000 and imprisonment. The illegal “take” of the elephant seals is under investigation, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is offering a reward for any information.
Six federally protected sea lions were found shot to death in the Columbia River on Sunday, and investigators are trying to determine if there is a link between the two incidents, according to The Associated Press. Washington and Oregon have authorization to capture or kill up to 85 sea lions per year because they eat the endangered salmon in the area, but trapping will be suspended during the investigation into these creatures’ shooting deaths.
According to The Associated Press, the sea lions seem to have been shot by someone on the Washington side of the river during the night. State and federal authorities are investigating the incident.