Reward offered for brutal killing of seal on Washington Coast
Jun/28/14 05:22 AM
A $1,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the apprehension and conviction of the person(s) who intentionally and repeatedly ran over and killed a resting harbor seal on Washington’s outer coast.
On Wednesday morning at 11am, volunteers from the Westport Aquarium responded to a report of a live adult harbor seal on the beach near Grayland State Park. They posted high visibility signs around the ailing animal who exhibited symptoms of suspected protozoal encephalitis, a neurological disorder which is usually terminal. An assessment by a marine mammal biologist was imminent.
Sometime before 1pm, the seal was intentionally run over and brutally killed. WDFW Marine Mammal Investigations Unit led a necropsy on the adult female who had recently given birth (there was no sighting of her with a pup). The seal’s skull was smashed into numerous pieces and the brain was pulverized. The chest was also run over with 6 compound fractured ribs, lacerated lung, ruptured aorta and left atrium. The biologist confirms that she was likely run over at least two times.
State Parks Ranger Miles Wenzel gathered evidence at the scene for prosecution, taking photos and measurements of tire tracks in the sand, clearly visible on a path that ran across the seal’s head.
If you - or someone you know - were on the beach south of the Cranberry Road access (near Grayland Beach State Park in Grays Harbor County) on the afternoon of Wednesday, June 25, and have information to identify the person(s) or vehicle that killed this seal, please contact the Westport Aquarium at 360-268-7070. This case is being investigated by NOAA’s Office for Law Enforcement. Callers may remain anonymous. A $1000 reward has been offered.
This is the second intentional killing of an adult female harbor seal with a vehicle on the outer coast in less than two months. In early May, a nursing female was run over despite a clearly marked perimeter around her and her pup on Long Beach near Ocean Park. The seal’s tail was severed and she had to be euthanized. Her pup was never found. Please see related story here for more information.
ISN’T IT FINALLY TIME TO BAN VEHICLES FROM WASHINGTON BEACHES?
It has been legal to drive on Washington beaches for many years, dating back to a time when it was easier to navigate vehicles along the shoreline than through difficult coastal terrain. There has been a growing movement in recent years to ban driving on our State beaches (Oregon has rigid restrictions).
There are many concerns about the damage done by vehicles in sensitive coastal environments, damaging or destroying critical habitat and killing migrating shorebirds - not the least of which is the Pacific Coast population of the Western Snowy Plover, listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (vehicle access is restricted during nesting season in some areas).
Since 2004, there have been 6 reported pinnipeds run over and killed by vehicles on Washington beaches: 2 California sea lions and 4 harbor seals. On sunny weekends, accessible beaches turn into parking lots full of cars and trucks. Over the July 4th weekend a couple of years ago, a California sea lion pup and a harbor seal pup were killed. Year-round, young harbor seals and sea lions as well as adults need to rest on the shores of Washington’s outer coast (pupping season there is from mid-April through July). With limited funding and Marine Mammal Stranding Network volunteers, it is difficult to adequately protect them from harassment and harm.
It is time for Washington residents to speak out. Contact your State legislator and ask that ocean beaches be restricted from use by non-official vehicles and restored to their natural, peaceful state - and most importantly, be free from destructive erosion and the many dangers posed to wildlife who depend on this habitat for their survival. Certainly, these latest savage, very disturbing killings of the two harbor seals are a powerful and compelling argument in support of a vehicle ban.
On Wednesday morning at 11am, volunteers from the Westport Aquarium responded to a report of a live adult harbor seal on the beach near Grayland State Park. They posted high visibility signs around the ailing animal who exhibited symptoms of suspected protozoal encephalitis, a neurological disorder which is usually terminal. An assessment by a marine mammal biologist was imminent.
Sometime before 1pm, the seal was intentionally run over and brutally killed. WDFW Marine Mammal Investigations Unit led a necropsy on the adult female who had recently given birth (there was no sighting of her with a pup). The seal’s skull was smashed into numerous pieces and the brain was pulverized. The chest was also run over with 6 compound fractured ribs, lacerated lung, ruptured aorta and left atrium. The biologist confirms that she was likely run over at least two times.
State Parks Ranger Miles Wenzel gathered evidence at the scene for prosecution, taking photos and measurements of tire tracks in the sand, clearly visible on a path that ran across the seal’s head.
If you - or someone you know - were on the beach south of the Cranberry Road access (near Grayland Beach State Park in Grays Harbor County) on the afternoon of Wednesday, June 25, and have information to identify the person(s) or vehicle that killed this seal, please contact the Westport Aquarium at 360-268-7070. This case is being investigated by NOAA’s Office for Law Enforcement. Callers may remain anonymous. A $1000 reward has been offered.
This is the second intentional killing of an adult female harbor seal with a vehicle on the outer coast in less than two months. In early May, a nursing female was run over despite a clearly marked perimeter around her and her pup on Long Beach near Ocean Park. The seal’s tail was severed and she had to be euthanized. Her pup was never found. Please see related story here for more information.
ISN’T IT FINALLY TIME TO BAN VEHICLES FROM WASHINGTON BEACHES?
It has been legal to drive on Washington beaches for many years, dating back to a time when it was easier to navigate vehicles along the shoreline than through difficult coastal terrain. There has been a growing movement in recent years to ban driving on our State beaches (Oregon has rigid restrictions).
There are many concerns about the damage done by vehicles in sensitive coastal environments, damaging or destroying critical habitat and killing migrating shorebirds - not the least of which is the Pacific Coast population of the Western Snowy Plover, listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (vehicle access is restricted during nesting season in some areas).
Since 2004, there have been 6 reported pinnipeds run over and killed by vehicles on Washington beaches: 2 California sea lions and 4 harbor seals. On sunny weekends, accessible beaches turn into parking lots full of cars and trucks. Over the July 4th weekend a couple of years ago, a California sea lion pup and a harbor seal pup were killed. Year-round, young harbor seals and sea lions as well as adults need to rest on the shores of Washington’s outer coast (pupping season there is from mid-April through July). With limited funding and Marine Mammal Stranding Network volunteers, it is difficult to adequately protect them from harassment and harm.
It is time for Washington residents to speak out. Contact your State legislator and ask that ocean beaches be restricted from use by non-official vehicles and restored to their natural, peaceful state - and most importantly, be free from destructive erosion and the many dangers posed to wildlife who depend on this habitat for their survival. Certainly, these latest savage, very disturbing killings of the two harbor seals are a powerful and compelling argument in support of a vehicle ban.
