Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network’s role in investigating shot sea lion

We’ve been asked about regional-media reports regarding a sea lion found dead near Harbor Island, found to have been shot multiple times. Here’s the report we received from West Seattle-based Seal Sitters Marine Stranding Network:

Last week a kayaker was paddling in the West Duwamish Waterway. When she spotted a California sea lion carcass on shore, the kayaker alertly photographed it from her boat and called Seal Sitters Hotline Operator Barb.

Using online maps, First Responder David H was able to pinpoint the location, allowing First Responder Melinda S to quickly find the 7-foot-long male sea lion. The responders alerted Seal Sitters’ stranding network partner SR3.

The next day, SR3 staff used portable X-ray equipment at the site and found the sea lion had been shot; a radiograph revealed numerous projectiles in the animal’s head.

Seal Sitters sends data to NOAA of shot, bludgeoned, or entangled animals we find in West Seattle. Please call our hotline at 206-905-SEAL (206-905-7325) to report a dead marine mammal. If you witness or hear gunfire over the water, and can do so safely, call 911 immediately; call Seal Sitters afterward to make a full report.

To learn more, see the full story with the radiograph at Seal Sitters Blog posting: sealsitters.org/blog/shot-sea-lion-examined

Cornelius T. Sourdough September 27, 2026 (1:12 pm)

Unfortunately I have made such discoveries there too. Read about this most recent one featured in the NYTimes here: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/26/us/sea-lion-shot-dead-west-seattle-700-pounds.html?searchResultPosition=1

Mister_Fisher September 27, 2026 (9:17 pm)

What is the relevance of the photo of someone holding a dead seal pup?
- Cornelius T. Sourdough September 28, 2026 (12:26 am)
  
  I took that picture from the fishing pier underneath the W. Seattle bridge. Just reiterating how prevalent and horrific this is.
  - Lynn Shimamoto September 29, 2026 (11:51 am)
    
    Cornelius T. Sourdough, do you know the identity of the person you photographed holding a dead seal? That person is likely in violation of federal law. Only responders authorized by NOAA are permitted to respond to marine mammals. Please report violations of the Marine Mammal Protection Act to NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement at https://www.bewhalewise.org/ Thank you.
    - Cornelius T. Sourdough September 29, 2026 (2:13 pm)
      
      I do not know that person’s identity. There were several people who seemed like they had been fishing there for many hours yet the seal appeared freshly killed. Nobody wanted much to do with me asking questions. I did report to seal sitters and WSB when this happened.

anonyme September 28, 2026 (7:15 am)

This happens every year, yet I’ve never heard of a single arrest related to the murder of seals or sea lions. And why kill a pup? That takes a real sociopath. Between drones and gunshot detectors, it seems like there should be some kind of justice – somebody knows something.

David Hutchinson September 28, 2026 (11:06 am)

Please report all live or dead marine mammals found on WS beaches to Seal Sitters at 206-905-7325. Seal Sitters is the NOAA authorized volunteer group covering all beaches from Brace Point around West Seattle including the Duwamish River up to the Coast Guard base downtown and the shoreline of Harbor Island. We will send out a volunteer to assess the situation and file a report online as required by NOAA. As mentioned in the post, our website can be found at http://www.sealsitters.org .Thanks to those of you who have contacted the Seal Sitters’ hotline in the past.

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