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UPDATE: West Seattle sea lion deaths under investigation

November 14, 2018 9:29 pm
|      23 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | Wildlife

(WSB photo by Tracy Record)

9:29 PM WEDNESDAY: A dead sea lion found on the shore just west of Seacrest Park today was the fourth and possibly fifth that Seal Sitters Marine Stranding Network has responded to, and the deaths are under investigation. We photographed the dead animal at midmorning – by which time it was already tied to driftwood – and talked with Seal Sitters later. In addition to this one, they’ve responded to two at Jack Block Park and one in the 1500 block of Alki Avenue, plus received a report of one that they say might be the same one dealt with today. We reported on a Jack Block discovery last month:

(October photo by David Hutchinson)

Questions about whether the sea lions had been shot come amid multiple incidents in which people reported hearing/seeing gunfire offshore – including this one back on November 4th, and this one in late September. We’ve heard tonight from “Diver Laura” James that the sea lion near Seacrest will likely be moved to a less-public location tomorrow for necropsy, to check on whether it might have a bullet wound. Seal Sitters’ Lynn Shimamoto, meantime, tells us that NOAA is expecting to have a statement about the investigations tomorrow.

P.S. Checking the archives, we’ve covered sea-lion shooting deaths in 2010 and 2012.

ADDED THURSDAY MORNING: Michael Milstein of NOAA confirms that the agency’s Office of Law Enforcement is investigating the deaths; the agency will have more to say later. We asked about laws/policies that would cover this – here’s the reply.

11:35 AM UPDATE: The carcass from west of Seacrest is being towed right now to the necropsy site at Don Armeni.

11:45 AM: On the other side of the bay, Kersti Muul tells WSB, a sea lion carcass has been found near the Seattle Aquarium. She says it might be the same one she spotted on a West Seattle beach recently that wasn’t recovered before the tide took it away.

2:26 PM: A second sea lion, recovered from the 1500 block of Alki SW, has been taken to Jack Block for a necropsy too. Separate followup coming up a bit later this afternoon.

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23 Replies to "UPDATE: West Seattle sea lion deaths under investigation"

  • Guy Olson November 14, 2018 (10:29 pm)

    Someone is shooting Sea Lions now? What a terrible human, good grief! Someone knows something.

  • Fisher November 14, 2018 (10:52 pm)

    The population of seals and sea lions is beyond the capacity of a healthy population without natural predators. They pose more risk to salmon populations than sport fishing and possibly commercial fisheries. Get ready for population control. That will be the next options on he table to save the orcas.

    • Kersti E Muul November 15, 2018 (5:40 am)

      They have natural predators, the transient orcas.If there is a cull, it will not be here, it will be at the Columbia basin.Culling will not save the resident orcas; their issues are too complex. Culling is a band-aid to a human caused issue and will cause it’s own problems.

  • Jeannie November 15, 2018 (1:15 am)

    What the heck, Fisher? You’re assuming a natural predator killed the sea lion? Funny, my first thought was fishermen, Fisher. 

  • Concerned Citizen November 15, 2018 (5:58 am)

    I always love watching the seals and sea lions play along Alki, just did yesterday in fact. What a cruel and heartless person to commit such an act of killing/shooting these beautiful creatures. I hope the people who did this are caught and given the harshest of punishments. Keep an eye out West Seattlelites, we need to catch these criminals! If you see something, say something! These animals can’t ask for help or call 911, you need to if you see something suspicious. 

    • R Stein November 15, 2018 (7:16 am)

      Probably not criminals. Tribal fisherman are legally entitled to shoot marine mammals that interfere with their fishing operations, and there has been a lot of gillnetting on Elliott Bay lately. 

      • Kalo November 15, 2018 (10:10 am)

        If the tribal fishermen shoot a sea lion, they should report it so that resources aren’t wasted trying to find the culprits responsible.

  • Buzz November 15, 2018 (5:59 am)

    First :  the sea lions have a natural predator Transient Orca Whales….also the loss of salmon is the result of human actions….dams, pollution, habitat loss, and likely changing ocean conditions related to human caused climate change.  Shooting one species of marine mammal to supposedly save another is just another form of human stupidity…..

    • Jarett November 17, 2018 (7:03 am)

      DITTO, Buzz… per usual!Jarett

  • anonyme November 15, 2018 (6:35 am)

    Sounds completely reasonable, as humans- not sea lions, not orcas – are responsible for decimating salmon populations, and it is humans who have bred “beyond the capacity of a healthy population”.  Nor is it reasonable to annihilate other species simply because of the insatiable greed of our own.  Salmon are not essential to the survival of humans.   Unlike the orcas, humans who can afford to pay to eat salmon are far from starving.

    • KM November 15, 2018 (10:27 am)

      I so wish there was an “thumbs up” function. 

  • Ron Swanson November 15, 2018 (7:08 am)

    Direct action for the orcas.  Surprised it took this long.

  • Kersti E Muul November 15, 2018 (7:20 am)

    NOAA:

    The MMPA allows people to deter a nuisance marine mammal not listed under the ESA in certain situations.  The nuisance animal may not be injured and there are many restrictions on what may be used to deter…no live ammunition, arrows, sharp objects…basically anything that would harm the animal.  Commercial fisherman may apply for permits to do lethal take of a non ESA listed marine mammal if there is an immediate threat to human life..self defense.  Lethal takes must be reported to NOAA within 48 hours.  Marine mammals may be deterred by fisherman by non lethal means only when the Fisher is actively fishing.  The shooting of marine mammals not an immediate threat to human life is illegal in all situations. 

  • Nontoxic Masculinist November 15, 2018 (7:36 am)

    If someone’s shooting sea lions, it’s not “direct action to save the orcas” – it’s because they’re violent, sadistic pschopaths. The next step will be poisoning neighborhood dogs, before they get bored of that and assault a homeless person.

  • Kalo November 15, 2018 (7:47 am)

    We live on Harbor Ave and heard shots on both Nov. 4 and about a week before (the first time we thought perhaps firecrackers). Both times there was fishing going on in Elliott Bay. Spotted and reported a dead sea lion to appropriate authorities last Friday. 

  • MJ November 15, 2018 (11:28 am)

    Our Puget Sound Orcas hopefully will learn from the transient Orcas that Sea Lions are a good food source.

    • Chuck November 16, 2018 (3:56 pm)

      These separate populations learned and adopted different food preferences for the very purpose of being able to co-exist, each going after a different prey. Sorry, but to think our residents can just “switch” to seals and sea lions is very naive. / And somewhat related, a quick view of the evening news shows likely restrictions coming on the whale watching trade; just so much posturing that will do little in the long run. The ONLY real way to help the southern Orca population is to increase the population of chinook salmon they prey on, and that means bringing down the Snake River dams. Anything less than that is pure, useless, feel-good window dressing. The time is now. Remove the dams! 

  • Fascinated November 15, 2018 (12:13 pm)

    Perhaps we could arm the sea lions, for self defense..?

  • Fisher November 15, 2018 (4:47 pm)

    My earlier comment was not a defense for whom ever is likely shooting these animals. I agree likely a tribal harvester as they tend to harvest at night to stay under the radar with the controversy surrounding tribal harvesting rights and management practices. That fact in itself is likely the motive and reason for the comment. I have recently attended a meeting where the seal and sea lion populations will be agenda topics presented with legislation both at state and federal levels. The facts do present themselves that these populations are far beyond levels that were previously natural. Both salmon and SKRW recovery programs will be soon evaluating population management. California already practices sea lion culls. There are many research surveys supporting the population numbers and impacts these numbers have against other marine mammals and salmon. https://www.opb.org/news/article/puget-sound-orcas-salmon-sea-lions-seals-food-study/ 

    • Nelson November 17, 2018 (5:56 pm)

      California does not cull sea lions.

  • Mike from WS November 19, 2018 (8:43 pm)

    There should absolutely be action to punish whatever person(s) have done this – to the full extent of the law.  No person, outside the authorities, should be killing seals or sea lions.  There is no direct evidence that these animals are over-populated in Elliott Bay or Puget Sound, even if that may be true elsewhere (e.g. Columbia Basin).Just like the people who clear cut the trees downhill from 35th Ave last year or year before, the arrogance and entitlement that people are exhibiting is appalling.Within just the last couple weeks, I used to see the seals on the tie-ups in Elliott Bay, listening to their calls, enjoying the beauty of nature outside our doors.  Every day, taking the water taxi, it was a pleasure to enjoy, unique to where we live.  Now, nothing.  Now, we’ve been robbed of this beauty.  Now, those animals have been killed without justifiable reason.So, let’s find these people and hold them accountable.  If you know who did this, come forward.  This is simply not right.

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