FIRST RESPONDERS LAY GROUNDWORK TO RESCUE SEA LION FROM CERTAIN DEATH
At 3:54p on Tuesday, Seal Sitters MMSN hotline (206-905-7325) received a call from Global Diving and Salvage employee John Duerr, who reported a California sea lion impaled on a bolt attached to a barrel in Elliott Bay.The barrel supported a floating security fence at Vigor Shipyard, located on the north end of Harbor Island. Seal Sitters Co-Investigator Lynn asked if he could confirm the animal was alive and he said, yes, the animal was lifting its head out of the water to breathe. It was not known how many days the animal had been hooked and unable to free himself. Lynn hung up and called Co-Investigator Robin, who offered to contact Vigor’s security office to get access for responders.

Due to the size of the animal and precarious water-only access, we knew it would require a highly experienced response team. Lynn contacted Casey Mclean of SR3 for help while Robin notified WDFW Marine Mammal Investigation Unit’s Dyanna Lambourn. The reporting party was still on-site in his boat and texted photos, which were shared with Casey, Dyanna and WDFW's Steve Jeffries. Since it was already dusk, Casey and Dyanna made plans to respond the following morning if the sea lion was still there.

Over the course of the evening, Robin laid the groundwork with many calls to Vigor Security, getting permission to access the animal early Wednesday morning. Casey and Dyanna coordinated plans for the response, recruiting additional experts and volunteers.

RESCUE PROVES CHALLENGING, BUT ENDS WITH HIGH FIVES
At 7:30 Wednesday morning, Vigor Security sent word that the sea lion was still caught on the fence. The rescue team began to assemble at West Seattle’s public boat launch: SR3 Director Casey Mclean; SR3 volunteer Caldwell, who provided the use of his boat; SR3 volunteer and veterinarian Elena, NOAA Marine Mammal Laboratory biologist Jeff Harris; veterinarian Dr Cathy King of World Vets; marine mammal biologist Dyanna Lambourn of WDFW MMI. Dyanna brought a second boat.

The boats took off at 10:20 and the team was soon at the Harbor Island site in Elliott Bay (photo above). Due to limited space in the vessels, Robin and Lynn observed from the viewing platform at Jack Block Park.



The sea lion had likely hauled out on one of the flotation barrels supporting the fence and gotten pierced through the genital area by an exposed bolt. When the examiners approached, the animal became agitated. Dr Cathy King administered a sedative formulated for sea lions and the team backed off while the sedative took effect.

Then, Dr. Cathy and Jeff were able, with considerable effort, to hoist the hind flippers and free the impaled tissue from the bolt. The adult male sea lion was marked with green biodegradable paint for identification purposes. A reversal drug revived him in a few minutes. After swimming around, he went back to the fence, forced another huge sea lion off its barrel, and took his place. The team returned to Don Armeni at 11:30.

Based on exam prior to release of the sea lion, it appears that the exposed tissue in the wound was beginning to heal, indicating that he could have been there a number of days. Thankfully, Global was doing a check of the security fencing, noticed him among the numerous sea lions hauled out on the barrels and called Seal Sitters’ hotline.

Huge kudos to the rescuers, many of whom used their time off work for the opportunity to extricate the sea lion. All were part of NOAA’s Marine Mammal Stranding Network and supporting organizations. And we are so grateful to the Global Diving employees and the Vigor Shipyard security supervisors and crew for their help. It was truly a team effort to save this beautiful marine mammal from certain starvation and send him back to his watery home for the holidays.

Tags: sea lion, California sea lion, rescue, entanglement

SEAL SITTERS VOLUNTEERS PROTECT AILING SEA LION
On Friday the 13th, First Responders David & Eilene followed up on a hotline call and discovered a male California sea lion at Cove 1, the small beach just north of Salty's Restaurant (photo above). They noticed the animal was not using his rear flippers and moved with difficulty. His upper body was thin. He had not made the normal spring migration south, possibly due to these issues.

Seal Sitters sent photos to Dyanna Lambourn of WDFW Marine Mammal Investigations, who noted his distended abdomen and suggested the sea lion, nicknamed Dudley, was likely suffering from a fatal cancer. SR3 veterinary nurse Casey McLean arrived for a visual assessment.

Dudley swam away, but reappeared onshore at nearby Jack Block Park. Over the next four days under the watchful eyes of Seal Sitters volunteers, the terribly thin sea lion spent his time drifting in the waters close to shore and hauling out at different beaches. Steve Jeffries and Coral Pasi of WDFW came to observe and advise on Monday. It was agreed the best outcome for Dudley was a peaceful and natural death - and Seal Sitters would continue to monitor and keep him safe while on the beach.

SEA LION CAPTURED AND TRANSPORTED FOR EVALUATION AND EUTHANASIA
By Tuesday, Dudley's increased penchant for hauling out at Cove 3, by the public fishing pier, began to pose a danger to himself and the kayakers, paddle boarders and visitors who used the popular the public beach. Seal Sitters called Steve Jeffries and plans for capture and removal were swiftly put into place. On Wednesday morning Dudley appeared at Cove 3 and settled in by the logs.

As Seal Sitters volunteers maintained the perimeter and talked to a crowd of onlookers who gathered at the railing, Steve and his crew including Jeff Harris of NOAA arrived with crowder boards, large cage and a boat with a drop-down ramp similar to a pickup truck tailgate. They made a successful capture, retrieved the boat at Don Armeni, and drove Dudley to the WDFW lab.

After an exam revealed the animal had severe health conditions he could not survive, he was humanely euthanized. A necropsy was performed the next day. While his condition is suspect for urogenital cancer, the exact cause of death won’t be known until the samples are analyzed. Seal Sitters will share information from the exam as it becomes available.

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE INVOLVED
Although we are saddened that Dudley could not survive, we take satisfaction from knowing he was safe from harassment in his last days. We appreciate Greg and his staff at Alki Kayak Rental, who safely stowed some supplies needed for the capture and treated a persistent Dudley with patience and good humor. Many thanks also to our stranding network partner WDFW Marine Mammal Investigations, to NOAA and to SR3.

And finally, thanks to the many Seal Sitters volunteers who spent long hours watching, tracking and protecting this wonderful animal.

HISTOLOGIC REPORT
Histologic findings have corroborated the clinical observations and gross necropsy findings. This animal had a disseminated urogenital carcinoma. Sadly, urogenital carcinoma is common in wild California sea lions along the west coast of the U.S.

Tags: Dudley, California sea lion

A male California sea lion decided the wooden pier at Don Armeni boat launch was a handy spot to scatch and nap in the sun on Monday afternoon. On a routine cruise through the boat launch area looking for seal pups (a common spot for pups to come ashore), responders were surprised instead to see an estimated 600 lb pinniped. They quicked “sealed” off the pier with tape and barricades, warning that sea lions are mobile on land and can be dangerous if approached.

The sea lion entertained onlookers as he did some pinniped yoga stretches, squirming and scratching his back on the wooden dock. The photo shows the distinct forehead, known as a sagittal crest, of a mature male California sea lion. He returned to Elliott Bay shortly after 5pm. Because sea lions do not have distinct markings (other than scars, tags or brands), we have not yet identified if this is the same male who rested on the opposite ramp in December. If it is, he has packed on some weight which is a good thing! California sea lions regularly haul out on the two buoys in Elliott Bay - occasionally, Steller sea lions can be seen there, too.

Tags: Hoover, California sea lion

Seal Sitters’ hotline operators receive numerous calls each year of “sea lions” on the beach because there are many folks out there who are not aware of the physical differences between species of California sea lions and harbor seals. So, operators will always ask, “Does the seal have spots? Are there ear flaps? Is it big and brown?” Most every time, the animal ends up to be a harbor seal with a spotted coat, small flippers and ear holes.

However, late Thursday afternoon the report of a sea lion hauled out on the Don Armeni boat launch dock turned out to indeed be a California sea lion. An adult male with a prominent forehead “bump” (known as a sagittal crest and indicating a sexually mature male animal) was stretched out midway down the dock. Volunteers blocked off access with sandwich boards, cones and tape. Health assessment photos were taken and sent to WDFW’s marine mammal biologist to determine if the animal had health issues or was merely seeking a convenient place to rest - well, not so convenient for those wanting to use the dock, but luckily there was virtually no boat traffic.

The sea lion spent the night on the dock under the watchful eye of volunteers and returned to the water at 8am Friday. The consulting biologist reports the sea lion appears to have swollen lymph glands or a neck abscess.

California sea lions can reach 8 feet in length and weigh up to 850 lbs. They are very mobile on land and can be dangerous if approached or harassed. Always keep your distance. Like harbor seals, they need to rest a good portion of their day. The buoys in Elliott Bay are packed with CA sea lions (and sometimes a huge Steller or two). It could be that this older sea lion with a possible injury needed refuge from the jostling and barking of sea lions on the buoys.

A young, alert harbor seal pup hauled out on the dock opposite the sea lion about 7 Thursday night, and volunteers educated the public about the difference in species. The pup returned to Elliott Bay early the next morning.

At a small cove just north of Salty’s restaurant, yet another seal pup rested from midday til late that night.

At Jack Block Park, we had a bounty of seal pups using protected areas.

Tags: California sea lion

Local and international media have picked up our story of the California sea lion necropsy findings, along with NOAA’s newest release of information regarding additional pinniped shootings in Washington State. WDFW Marine Mammal Investigations’ biologist estimates the 6-10 year old male had been dead approximately 3 weeks at the time the decomposed body was necropsied at Lincoln Park. Seal Sitters established a perimeter of biodegradable tape and tied the sea lion with rope to a secure log high on shore to ensure the animal would be there the following day for the exam. As this is an on-going criminal investigation, Seal Sitters is not at liberty to divulge details of this case, nor those of the other seals/sea lions. For further information, please contact NOAA Office for Law Enforcement @ 206-526-6133.

Sadly, shootings occur annually in the Pacific Northwest, particularly in fall and winter when large numbers of sea lions move into our area in search of food. Wherever there are large concentrations of fish, there are usually large numbers of sea lions, seals and humans competing for the same resources - and that can often lead to potential negative interactions. In early 2010, there were 14 confirmed and 3 probable shootings of California, Steller sea lions, and harbor seals within the Puget Sound area. Four of those animals were found on the shores of West Seattle.

Please check back for continued updates on this on-going investigation. You can help protect marine mammals by being vigilant both from shore and by boat, watching for any harassment or violence and reporting to NOAA’s Office for Law Enforcement.

Tags: California sea lion, necropsy

Yesterday, a team from WDFW Marine Mammal Investigations Unit led by biologist Dyanna Lambourn performed a necropsy on a mature male California sea lion. The dead animal was discovered on the beach at Lincoln Park on Monday and photos were sent to WDFW. Seal Sitters’ volunteers and Seattle Parks’ staff secured the sea lion so that he would not be swept away by extreme high tides before the necropsy.

The moderate to advanced decomposed animal had been scavenged by birds and other creatures and had a shark bite wound. Muscle and tissue were closely examined for trauma and hemorrhage; evidence of a “penetrating” wound, suspected to be that of a bullet, was found deep in the tissue and tracked back to the entrance wound. Bullets create small entry holes that are often difficult to detect on the exterior. The head and lungs were removed for further examination and radiographs. That afternoon, a bullet was removed from the left lung lobe. Additionally of note, the intestines were twisted and will be examined - causes can include fishing lures and line, plastics, tumors or possible trauma from the wound. Organ tissue samples were taken for histopaths. WDFW intern and new Seal Sitters volunteer, Allison Reeder (left in photo), assists Dyanna with photo documentation.

NOAA Office for Law Enforcement has been notified and evidence and information will be turned over for investigation.

Tags: California sea lion, necropsy

When the hotline received a call Monday morning about a sea lion in trouble in West Seattle, we expected to find a sea lion doing what sea lions often do - float and sleep in the water with a flipper in the air - a behavior known as sailing, a means of regulating their body temperature. Instead, our responder observed a seal lion who was drifitng very close along the shore, back above the water and raising his head out of the water to breathe through the mouth every couple of minutes. The animal drifted close to shore for approximately two hours. There was no visible sign of entanglement. Things got even stranger when another male sea lion appeared barking, seemingly distressed and would not leave the other’s side for quite some time. The drifting sea lion was heard barking underwater. The loud vocalizations attracted quite a concerned crowd and the hotline received numerous calls. Our volunteers were quite baffled and consulted by phone with a pinniped expert as we observed the interactions of the two animals. If the huge sea lion was having health concerns nothing could really be done until he stranded on shore. Eventually, both sea lions swam off and it was visually confirmed that there was nothing entangled around the rear flippers. Video was send to WDFW’s marine mammal biologist for review and neither she nor a colleague could determine the significance of the bizarre encounter. The short clip added here has some of the audio removed due to bystanders’ recorded conversations.

The same morning, Sno-King’s responder also investigated a report of an “entangled” sea lion at the ferry terminal on the Seattle waterfront. There was no evidence of entanglement and the sea lion seemed to be resting and drifting close to shore as well.

Fall and winter, the sea lion population increases in Puget Sound and Elliott Bay as males return to our waters looking for food. Females as a rule do not migrate north, although there is one lone female who has resided in the Nisqually region since 2008, fondly nicknamed Nisqually Princess. Biologists are not sure why she has chosen South Puget Sound as her home.

Tags: sailing sea lion, California sea lion

Of late, a number of sea lions, including the endangered steller sea lion (shown here), have been feeding and sleeping in the waters off Lincoln Park. Stellers are much more massive than the California sea lions we are used to seeing on the Elliott Bay buoy and sailing in Puget Sound. The average size of an adult male steller is 9 feet in length and 1500 lbs as compared to an adult male California sea lion (CSL) weighing up to 1000 lbs at 8.2 feet. Stellers have a distinctly lighter colored coat and much larger head than the CSLs.

Due to more recent sightings of stellers and elephant seals, we will be adding pages devoted to those pinnipeds on our website. Please check back for updates.

Tags: Steller sea lion, California sea lion

Seal Sitters received calls late this morning from concerned citizens regarding a marine mammal “entangled” approximately 100 yards offshore at Lincoln Park. Our responder followed up on the report, but as she suspected, it was three California sea lions snoozing in the water. Often sea lions sleep in small or large groups - a behavior called rafting - with only a flipper or tail visible to help them regulate their body temperature. Periodically, a nose will pop out of the water briefly for a breath and then disappear. It is an unnerving sight to those who are not familiar with the behavior.

Tags: rafting behavior, sailing sea lion, thermoregulation, California sea lion

The sea lions that hang out on the Elliott Bay buoys enjoyed the sunshine today and entertained walkers with their high-flying acrobatics. These athletic maneuvers, called porpoising, are used to elude predators such as orcas and sharks, but also seemed to just be plain fun on this gorgeous day. Sea lions hone their skills at these movements through play. The buoy was packed with male sea lions, barking loudly as they jostled for a resting place.

Tags: California sea lion

Many thanks to Dyanna Lambourn, Marine Mammal Research Biologist for WDFW, for sharing this hilarious photo of a female California sea lion (photo at right). Typically, we have no female CA sea lions in Puget Sound as they do not migrate. However, for the past four years or so this female has called South Puget Sound her home. Dyanna writes, “I think all of you have heard me talk about an adult female CA sea lion that has made the green Nisqually buoy her residence over at least the last 4 summers. Well, over the winter the buoy was replaced by a channel marker. I resighted her up at the Toliva Schoal Red buoy earlier in June with an adult male CA and a sub-adult Steller, but had not seen her since. Well, it appears she prefers to hang out at Nisqually.”

No worries about the sea lion, who is fine - she had just climbed onto the channel marker at high tide and then rested as the tide rolled out and then back in. 

Tags: California sea lion