Necropsies performed on two dead California sea lions in West Seattle this week confirmed suspicions that both animals had been shot to death. There have been multiple reports of gunfire this past week in the Duwamish River where fishing boats and nets have been present.

On Saturday (10/3) Seal Sitters MMSN facilitated the necropsy of a dead, robust California sea lion found two days earlier, mysteriously tied to a pier in the East Waterway of the Duwamish. The animal was towed ashore to Don Armeni boat launch where an examination was done by SR3 with assistance from Seal Sitters and Sno-King Marine Mammal Response. Numerous pellets were found in his flipper, chest and head, along with massive internal hemorrhaging. The head was taken for radiographs which revealed additional projectiles in the skull.

Earlier in the week, Seal Sitters and SR3 conducted a necropsy on a sea lion that had been found floating offshore. That animal suffered a shattered vertebrae, broken rib and internal organ damage. X-rays showed projectiles in the skull.

Evidence from both examinations will be turned over to NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement for investigation.

As always, Seal Sitters is extremely concerned about this annual shooting of pinnipeds during fishing seasons. Concurrent with Fall and Winter fish runs, numerous sea lions and seals pay a deadly price. As in past years, guns are being fired over open water in a busy recreational, commercial and industrial area of the City of Seattle. This latest shooting happened directly across from fuel barges and fuel storage tanks, near docks active with workers. Last year, shootings were witnessed in Elliott Bay in ferry and water taxi lanes.

If you hear active gunfire over the water, please call 911. If the gunfire is in Elliott Bay, after calling 911, notify Seal Sitters’ hotline at 206-905-SEAL (206-905-7325).

If you see a stranded marine mammal, dead or alive, in West Seattle, please call Seal Sitters’ hotline at 206-905-SEAL (206-905-7325).

Tags: shot sea lion, sea lion shootings, shot sea lions 2018