Analysis questions whether sea lions were shot

Analysis questions whether sea lions were shot

Police and investigators from Oregon Fish and Wildlife investigate the death of sea lions held in this cage at the Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River between Washington and Oregon, east of Portland, Sunday May 4, 2008. (AP Photo/Greg Wahl-Stephens)

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Story Published: May 7, 2008 at 9:26 AM PST

Story Updated: Nov 20, 2008 at 6:30 PM PST

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This is a press release courtesy of the NOAA's Fisheries Service

NOAA's Fisheries Service said Wednesday that the cause of death of six sea lions found in two traps at Bonneville Dam Sunday remains unknown.

Preliminary results of a necropsy, conducted beginning late Sunday night and completed late Monday, found no evidence of recent gunshot wounds.

The necropsies did identify numerous shallow puncture wounds in one animal that are consistent with sea lion bite marks.  An x-ray examination conducted yesterday identified metal fragments in soft tissue around the neck area of two of the animals.

In addition, a metal slug was found in the blubber of one animal. However, neither the fragments nor the slug appear to have caused death, and may have been associated with old wounds.

The agency said it would continue its investigation to determine how the animals died and how the doors to the traps on which they were found could have been closed. Anyone with information that may assist in this investigation is asked to call the NOAA Enforcement Hotline at 1-800-853-1964.

The agency said its agreement signed yesterday with the Humane Society of the United States to suspend trapping and any lethal removal of sea lions from the Columbia River until next spring would allow it to make a full and complete presentation of its case to the district court and complete its investigation.

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