Official: 4 sea lions, 1 seal shot near Seattle

[onehandle]

SEATTLE – A harbor seal and at least four sea lions, including one listed as endangered, were shot to death near Seattle, authorities said Friday. One was a Steller sea lion protected by the federal Endangered Species Act. The others were smaller, more common California sea lions listed under the Marine Mammals Protection Act.

National Marine Fisheries Service spokesman Brian Gorman said an investigation was under way because it's illegal in most cases to shoot any kind of sea lion or seal. Shooting these mammals can result in fines of up to $50,000, he said.

Wildlife photographer Robin Lindsey said she was shocked at the sight of the dead male Steller sea lion that appeared to be 8 to 10 years old and weigh about 1,200 pounds.

"It's really heartbreaking to think anybody would shoot a creature because they're out there trying to survive," said Lindsey, who also volunteers with a group called Seal Sitters. "I hope to God it's not a trend."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100213/ap_on_re_us/us_sea_lions_shot_9

[rd_kent]

1. Another drive-by post from onehandle.

[sharesunited]

2. Access to guns and ammo and a target-loving seal-hating shooter.

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Walk away]

7. +1

[FreakinDJ]

4. How in Hell does this relate to "Guns" - more like "Disgruntled Fishermen"

gimme a break

[rd_kent]

5. Without a discussion point from the OP, this needs to be moved to GD, it does not involve gun policy

[derby378]

6. Agreed

You want to discuss gun control here, that's fine, we're used to it. The OP isn't a discussion about gun control, however - it's a news item that affects all of us, and thus it rightly belongs in GD.

[TheCowsCameHome]

8. Sick.

[aliendroid]

9. still just a story

If you want this to be an anti-gun argument, you need to post up some stats on the rampant shooting of endangered animals or else this was just an isolated event, he could have caught them and killed them in other ways, for example in canada they use clubs and bats.

[Katya Mullethov]

10. A sad and oft repeated refrain

Yet another ugly and inescapable truth of the human condition .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws5Xeu3BEQk

[aliendroid]

13. that youtube vid

I started watching that thinking you were showing some evidence of other animal shootings but it's just a song, I guess that's your sig or something.

[Katya Mullethov]

14. A seal got pounded

With a leadfilled snowshoe .

[Tejas]

11. Not a totally useless OP, at least we learned

that it is legal to shoot gangsta sea lions. Hmm, Kalifornia sea lions straight out of Compton harassing Oregon and Washington salmon. 300,000 of them as the article states, probably attempted to set up a local chapter in Seattle. Does the Mayan calendar mention any of this?

[PavePusher]

12. Are you trying to imply...

that everyone who DIDN'T shoot a seal should turn in their guns?

What is your point/message?

[AtheistCrusader]

15. Thanks for the heads up. If I see this asshole, I'll turn him in.

Harbor Seals are protected too. Had one join me on my kayak off Alki, and I basically had to sit and wait for him to bug off on his own.

[SteveM]

16. Old "Silent Cal onehandle" creates yet another haze. nt