DUTCH NURSERY CARES FOR SLEW OF ORPHANED SEAL PUPS
(January 12, 2012)
Severe storms that have ravaged the Dutch coast have created a wave of orphaned seal pups - some still with umbilicus cords attached. Many of the weaned pups have been severely infected with parasitic lungworms and suppressed immune systems. In the last 10 days, more than 100 seals have been brought to the sanctuary, which now houses 350 seals. Read full story.
Read related story
Related story with slideshow
DOZENS OF STORM-BATTERED SEAL PUPS RESCUED BY RSPCA
(January 6, 2012, BBC)
Rough winter storms came at the worst possible time for seal pups along the coast of England. Over 60 rescued pups are being treated at a rehab facility. Read here.
RASH OF HAWAIIAN MONK SEAL KILLINGS
(January 5, 2012)
Two critically endangered Hawaiian monk seals were found bludgeoned to death on a Molokai in recent weeks. Earlier this month, a dead seal showed up on Kauai. A fourth possible killing on Molokai is also being investigated. The deaths have come as the federal government steps up its efforts to protect the seals, causing backlash from some fishermen. There are only 1,100 left in the world and scientists say they are on course to vanish in 50-100 years. Read story.
CLIMATE CHANGING OUTLOOK FOR HARP SEALS
(January 5, 2012, BBC)
According to researchers from Duke University, warming oceans and melting sea ice may have a major impact on harp seals, the animals which are hunted by Canada's annual seal hunt. Seals are dependent on ice for breeding, nursing and resting. Read story.
BABY SEAL SNEAKS INTO NZ HOME, NAPS ON COUCH
(December 15, 2011)
A seal pup managed to cross a busy road and enter a New Zealand home through a cat door. The pup was found sleeping on the homeowner's couch. Apparently, Lucky, has visited neighborhoods twice before and had to be returned to the sea. The Department of Conservation picked up the animal from the residence, but Lucky managed to escape from his container inside the vehicle and turn on the radio before being released on the beach. Read story.
BODIES OF SIX MURDERED SEALS FOUND IN CAPE COD
(June 11, 2011)
Six gray seals have been killed on Cape Cod, Mass, beaches over the past five weeks, all of them shot and "suffering greatly," a federal official investigating the deaths said. Read the full story.
Related story, Seals divide Chatham views.
NOAA APPROVES REMOVAL OF SEA LIONS AT BONNEVILLE DAM
(May 15, 2011, Associated Press)
Oregon and Washington have been given permission to resume removing or killing California sea lions at Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River, a federal agency said Friday. Read the full story.
SEA LIONS FEED ON STURGEON AT BONNEVILLE DAM
(February 26, 2011)
Oregon and Washington fishery agencies petitioned to remove Steller sea lions from federal protection - it is listed as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act. Key to that is to count how many salmon, steelhead and sturgeon the Stellers take.
The decline led Oregon and Washington this month to put the tightest limits ever on sport and commercial sturgeon fishing, the fourth straight year of cuts. While the states are about to adopt a conservation plan, most biologists and fishermen fear a continued decline of sturgeon, and an eventual halt to all sport and commercial fishing. Read the full story.
SURVEYOR SEALS REVEAL SECRETS OF ANTARCTIC DEPTHS
(November 8, 2010)
Seals are helping scientists map the Antarctic ocean floor and are providing valuable data that might reveal the reasons for rapidly melting ice. Read the full story.
MORE SEA LION DEATHS REPORTED ON OREGON COAST (PORTLAND KPTV NEWS)
(November 5, 2010)
A bacterial outbreak has caused numerous deaths in California sea lions along the Oregon coast. Scientists are warning tourists to stay away from the dying and dead animals. The disease can be transmitted to dogs and humans through contaminated urine. Read the full story.
VACATIONING COUPLE FINDS SEAL PUP ON BEACH AND TAKES BACK TO HOTEL ROOM
(June 22, 2010)
A young couple vacationing in Westport are accused of taking a harbor seal pup from the beach and taking it back to their hotel. Read the story.
NOT THE BEST SOUVENIR: COUPLE TAKES FOUND SEAL PUP BACK TO HOTEL
(June 24, 2010)
A young couple on vacation to the Washington Coast illegally picked up an "abandoned" seal pup, taking him back to their hotel room before calling authorities the following day. Read the full story.
SAVVY SEAL JUMPS ABOARD WHALE-WATCHING BOAT TO AVOID BECOMING ORCAS' LUNCH
(June 6, 2010)
One very lucky harbor seal escaped becoming lunch for a pod of transient orca whales Saturday by jumping onto two boats in the Juan de Fuca Strait. Read the full story.
ROPE BARRIER REMOVED, PUTTING LaJOLLA SEALS AT RISK
(May 15, 2010)
The rope barrier which protects the seal colony and newly born pups at Casa Beach has been removed due to the designated end of pupping season. This removal has allowed the public access onto the beach, disrupting the rest cycles of the seals and putting them at extreme risk for injury and other health problems. The San Diego City Council will vote Monday, May 17th, to determine the fate of the seal rookery. View the Channel 8 coverage here.
Additional tv coverage here.
To read all links and articles on this issue, please click here.
STRANDED SEA LION RESCUED FROM SEATTLE BEACH
(April 19, 2010)
Seal Sitters responded to reports of a stranded sea lion on Golden Gardens beach in Ballard. The injured and underweight California sea lion was removed from the beach by NOAA and WDFW. The sea lion died overnight and necropsy revealed a broken sternum and internal bleeding. All related stories and news videos here.
ANGER MOUNTS AS SEA LIONS ARE KILLED FOR EATING ENDANGERED FISH
(April 2, 2010)
Year to date, six healthy sea lions have been euthanized by Oregon state wildlife officials under a federal program allowing them to be killed if caught eating salmon at the Bonneville Dam, located on the border of Washington and Orgeon. Hungry sea lions have discovered that the dam is an excellent place to feast on fish as they gather at the base of the dam and attempt to scale the 6-story high fish ladder. Wildlife advocates argue that fishermen take 4 times as many fish as the feeding sea lions. Read the full story.
Read all related articles about the Bonneville Dam and sea lions.
WORST ICE YEAR KILLS CANADIAN SEALS BEFORE HUNTERS CAN
(March 26, 2010)
Thousands of harp seal pups are presumed dead in Canada's Gulf of St. Lawrence and starving pups are being found abandoned on the beaches of Prince Edward Island, victims of the worst ice conditions ever recorded in the region. The annual birthing grounds are virtually devoid of both ice and seals. Despite this devastating impact on the harp seal population, the Canadian government has increased the quota for this year's seal hunt. Read the full story.
For video footage from the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), click here.
SEAL PUP ONE OF THOUSANDS STRANDED ON CANADIAN BEACH DUE TO ICE SHORTAGE (March 25, 2010)
Tens of thousands of harp seal pups have washed up on Canada's Gulf of Saint Lawrence beaches during the worst ice conditions ever reported in the region. Read the story.
DARING RESCUE OF ENTANGLED STELLER SEA LION AT SEA LION CAVES
(March 21, 2010)
A stranding team from Oregon State University worked quickly with the owners of Sea Lion Caves and federal authorities late Thursday to rescue a Steller seal lion entangled in trawler net and trapped on the rocks. For story and video, click here.
CANADIAN SEAL QUOTA INCREASED BUT WEATHER MIGHT KILL HUNT
(March 15, 2010)
Despite an increased risk to the survival of this year's seal pups due to lack of sea ice, the Canadian government has increased the number of seals to be killed this season to 330,000.
Read the story.
BAD YEAR FOR SEA LIONS, STARVING PUPS WASHING UP ALONG CALIFORNIA BEACHES (March 12, 2010)
Sea lions are having a hard time finding food this spring, and pups are feeling the squeeze. Marine mammal experts report that dozens of sick and hungry sea lion pups have washed up on California shores this winter, many not making it even with the help they get at rescue centers. Researchers are blaming a lack of food. Read the full story.
SEA LIONS KILLED FOR EATING SALMON
(March 8, 2010, Huffington Post)
A California sea lion last week became the first salmon predator to be euthanized this year under a program that has been denounced by those who say there are far greater dangers to salmon – including the series of hydroelectric dams on the Columbia river. Read the full story.
Read all related articles about the Bonneville Dam and sea lions.
SECRET LIFE OF SEALS: BIOLOGIST STUDIES THE ODD ANIMALS - AND THEY STUDY HIM (March 5, 2010, LA Times)
Scientist Brent Stewart has studied elephants for 31 years and knows they are watching him. Read this fascinating article about his experiences with the seals of San Miguel Island, the westernmost island of the Channel Islands off the coast of Santa Barbara, California.
FIRST SEA LION OF YEAR KILLED FROM BONNEVILLE DAM
(March 4, 2010, Seattle Times)
Oregon's Department of Fish and Wildlife says it has killed its first fish-eating sea lion this year after capturing it at Bonneville Dam. A department spokesperson says the seal lion killed Wednesday is one of 64 on a list authorized for euthanization. Read the story.
Read all related articles about the Bonneville Dam and sea lions.
CANCER KILLS MANY SEA LIONS, AND ITS CAUSE REMAINS A MYSTERY
(March 4, 2010, New York Times)
For 14 years, since they first reported that a disturbing proportion of deaths among rescued California sea lions were caused by metastatic cancer, researchers have been trying to pinpoint the source of the illness. Read more.
HARD TIMES FOR YOUNG SEA LIONS
(Feb 21, 2010, San Jose Mercury News)
Researchers monitoring the sea lion population at Ano Nuevo Island Reserve this past summer noticed an odd and troubling trend - several starving yearlings. In 2009, the mortality rate for pups on San MIguel Island, off Santa Barbara shot up to nearly 80 percent in the third month, from a typical 30%. Read the story.
SEAL HUNT TO BEGIN IN NOVA SCOTIA THIS WEEK
(Feb 13, 2010)
The annual Canadian seal slaughter is scheduled to start this week in Eastern Canada. An anti-sealing organization plans to film the hunt and distribute the images to encourage a tourism boycott, a spokeswoman said.
Sealers are prohibited from using guns on the small island, so they use clubs to kill the seals. Curran said she saw sealers herd the animals into a group before killing them, a practice that has been condemned as inhumane by agencies such as the European Food Safety Authority, Curran said. Read the full story.
Join the HSUS (Humane Society of US) email campaign to Canadian authorities urging that this barbaric slaughter be halted.
HSUS OFFERS REWARD FOR SEA LION SHOOTINGS IN SEATTLE
(February 12, 2010)
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is offering a $2500 reward for information regarding the shooting of sea lions in the Seattle area. Please visit Seal Sitters' blog for reward details as well as updates and all news links on this breaking news story and three sea lions that were found shot to death on West Seattle beaches.
SEA LIONS SEAL FOUND SHOT TO DEATH IN WEST SEATTLE
(February 12, 2010)
The National Marine Fisheries is investigating the deaths of at least four sea lions and a seal that have been found shot on a beach in West Seattle. Read the article here.
Read the latest updates and all facts regarding this breaking story on Seal Sitters' blog.
ELEPHANT SEAL NEWS: STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL ON NARROW PIEDRAS BLANCAS BEACH
(January 28, 2010)
The high tides and high surf from storms have wreaked havoc at the elephant seal nursery, with the surf almost obliterating their birthing place. Read the story.
FACING BACKLASH IN EUROPE, CANADA HUNTS FOR NEW SEAL MARKET IN CHINA
(January 12, 2010, The Globe and Mail)
Despite growing world-wide opposition to the killing of seals for the fur trade, Canada has moved to sell seal fur, blubber and oil to the huge market of China. Read the story.
SEA LIONS FROM SAN FRANCISCO'S PIER 39 MAY BE IN OREGON
(January 12, 2010, LA Times)
Hundreds of sea lions that made their residence at the San Francisco tourist attraction Pier 39 have apparently relocated to Oregon where food is more plentiful. Read the story.
BEACHED WHALES KILLED BY INGESTING PLASTIC (December 18, 2009, Italy)
Seven sperm whales that beached at Foraggia, Italy, died from ingesting plastic in the ocean. Read the story.
To read related stories on ocean pollution and the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch", click here.
SEA LIONS SAVED BY CHICAGO AQUARIUM (December 13, 2009, LA Times)
Two sea lions removed from the Bonneville Dam on the border of Oregon and Washington were spared death thanks to the Chicago aquarium. Read the story.
SCOTTISH BILL THREATENS PREGNANT SEALS (November 30, 2009, The Guardian)
A new marine bill allows the shooting of seals during breeding season. Read here.
For more information about work being done to protect Scottish seals, click here.
HUMPBACK WHALE SAVES SEAL FROM ORCA ATTACK
(November 26, 2009)
NOAA scientists researching orca whales in Antarctica witnessed an amazing display of inter-species protection. A pod of orcas forced a seal off an ice flow, into the water and prepared to attack the seal. A humpback whale intervened and the seal sought safety on the mammal's massive body and protection under the whale's flipper. Read this amazing story here.
JUDGE SAYS SEALS CAN STAY IN LAJOLLA
(November 14, 2009, San Diego)
A judged has ruled that the harbor seal colony that has resided at Casa Beach for more than a decade can remain there and not be forced from the beach by water cannons and recordings of barking dogs. Read the fully story. To read all links and articles on this issue, please click here.
PACIFIC OCEAN "DEAD ZONE" IN NORTHWEST MAY BE IRREVERSIBLE
(October 9, 2009, LA Times)
An oxygen-depleted "dead zone" the size of New Jersey is starving sea life off the coast of Oregon and Washington and might be impossible to reverse. Read the story.
For more information on dead zones in the Pacific NW visit our pollution page.
TRAMPLING BLAMED FOR ALASKA WALRUS DEATHS
(October 1, 2009)
Trampling likely killed 131 mostly young walruses forced onto the northwest coast of Alaska by a loss of sea ice, according to a preliminary report released Thursday. Read the full story.
WWF related story with videos.
3000 walrus die in stampede in 2007 related to climate change.
JUDGE DISMISSES SEAL CASE
(June 30, 2009, La Jolla, CA)
Pro-seal advocates lost a round in court Monday when U.S. District Judge William Q. Hayes dismissed a case that would have required federal permits before the seals could be removed from the Children's Pool beach. Read more. To read all links and articles on this issue, please click here.
SICK SEA LION PUPS AND SEALS STRANDED AT RECORD PACE
(June 17, 2009, Laguna Beach, CA)
The Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach, Ca, is experiencing a record number of ailing sea lion pups and seals stranded along the Orange County coastline. The numbers are up a dramatic 74 percent compared to last year. NOAA believes the cause could be contributed to climate change and lack of food. Most of the sea lion pups are extremely malnourished and many have died. Read more.
ENVIRONMENTALIST PLAN SUIT TO PROTECT ICE SEALS
(June 4, 2009)
The Center for Biological Diversity announced intent to sue NOAA for delaying protection of Arctic seals under the Endangered Species Act. Read story here.
FEDERAL COURT: LEAVE THE SEALS ALONE
(June 1, 2009, San Diego, CA)
A federal court has issued a ruling that the City of San Diego is prohibited from harassing or dispersing the seal colony at Casa Beach in La Jolla. This negates the city's proposal to drive the seals from the beach using recording of barking dogs or other means. Read the story here. To read all links and articles on this issue, please click here.
WESTPORT SEA LION SHOT WITH ARROW
(May 23, 2009)
A male California sea lion has been spotted at a Grays Harbor marina with an arrow in his side. A $2500 reward has been offered for information leading to an arrest. For story and video, click here.
JUDGE: SEALS MUST LEAVE LAJOLLA CHILDREN'S POOL
(May 27, 2009, San Diego, CA)
A Superior Court judge has given the city of San Diego two weeks to devise a plan to remove a colony of seals from a La Jolla beach. The city plans to use recorded dog barks and possible water cannons to remove the seals from the established rookery. For article and video, please click here. To read all links and articles on this issue, please click here.
HOW TO MOVE THE SEALS? DOG RECORDINGS
(May 23, 2009, Sand Diego, CA)
According to the San Diego Union, the city of San Diego plans to broadcast the sound of barking dogs from 6am until dark every day in order to disperse a seal colony at Children's Pool beach in the affluent community of La Jolla. If the recordings fail to drive out the seals, the city will begin to spray water on the animals. The annual estimated cost for this proposed removal of the seals is $688,934. A state law is awaiting approval for a decision on whether the seals should be allowed to remain on the beach and establish a protected marine mammal park. Read the article here.
To read all links and articles on this issue, please click here.
EUROPEAN UNION PARLIAMENT PASSES IMPORT BAN ON SEAL PRODUCTS
(May 5, 2009, Stasbourg, France, AP)
The European Parliament voted to ban imports of seal producs Tuesday, trying to force Canada to end its annual seal hunt, which animal rights groups have critcized as barbaric. The EU assembly overwhelmingly endorsed a bill that said commercial seal hunting, notably in Canada, is "inherently inhumane." Read the full story here.
SEAL SLAUGHTER CRUELTY CONTINUES IN CANADA
(April 21, 2009, HSUS)
On Tuesday, Humane Society International/Canada released new footage from Canada's 2009 commercial seal kill at a press conference with Senator Mac Harb, the first Canadian parliamentarian to introduce a bill to end the seal hunt. Observers documented numerous cases of extreme cruelty, including apparent violations of Canada's Marine Mammal Regulations. Read the story here. Puget Sound activists from PETA, Northwest Animal Rights Network (NARN), IFAW and HSUS protested Tuesday at the Canadian Consulate in Seattle, calling for an end to the killing (photo).
To read more about the Canada seal hunt and to sign petitions protesting the slaughter, click here.
SWIMMING IN CONTROVERSY, SEA LION C265 IS FIRST TO BE KILLED
(April 17, 2009, The Oregonian)
Last month, "C265" became the first Californina sea lion legally euthanized by the government since the marine mammal protection act passed nearly 40 years ago. Read the story of why this sea lion, who ate approximately 43 salmon in one year out of roughly 85,000 which passed through the fish ladder at Bonneville Dam, was killed.
For all links and articles regarding this issue, please click here.
SACRAMENTO STEPS INTO THE CHILDREN'S POOL SEALS DEBATE
(April 14, 2009, San Diego)
A California state Senate committee signed legislation Tuesday to block the court ordered removal of a colony of harbor seals from a LaJolla beach. The action is one step closer to declaring the beach a designated marine mammal habitat and ending decades of legal battles between the city and animal protectionists. Read the story here.
To read more about the controversy and the harbor seals that reside and give birth here, please click here.
CANADA SEAL HUNT BEGINS AMID CONTROVERSY
(March 23, 2009)
Canada's annual seal hunt began Monday in expectation of the killing of 338,200 harp seals for pelts this season alone. Read the story here. To read more about the Canada seal hunt and to sign petitions protesting the slaughter, click here.
SLAUGHTER OF SEALS IN RUSSIA STOPPED BY PUTIN
(March 20, 2009, London Times)
Russia has banned the hunting of defenseless baby seals. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said, "This is a bloody business and it's clear that it needs to be stopped. Read the story here.
To read more about the Canada seal hunt and to sign petitions protesting the slaughter, click here.
FIRST SALMON-EATING SEA LION KILLED AT BONNEVILLE DAM
(March 12, 2009, The Oregonian)
Wildlife officials euthanized a salmon-eating sea lion at Bonneville Dam for the first time Thursday, killing it with a lethal injection after a health examination determined it couldn't be relocated to a zoo or aquarium. The California sea lion -- branded C265 -- is thought to be the first deliberately killed by a Northwest government agency. Marine mammals received legal protection under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972. Read the complete story here.
For all links and articles regarding this issue, please click here.
U.S. NAVY SEEKS TO BOOST PRACTICE EXERCISES OFF WEST COAST
(March 8, 2009, Seattle Times)
The U.S. Navy seeks to increase training exercises utilizing bombs, missiles and torpedoes off the West Coast and Puget Sound area. Environmentalists, scientists and lawmakers are demanding a review of the impact on marine mammals. Read the story here.
BONNEVILLE DAM SEA LIONS FACE CAGES OR SHARPSHOOTERS
(February 27, 2009, The Oregonian)
Wildlife officials will resume trapping of salmon-eating California sea lions at Bonneville Dam as soon as Monday. A federal appeals court raised the stakes Thursday when it denied a request from the Humane Society of the United States to block Washington, Oregon and Idaho from killing as many as 85 sea lions a year. "As of this point they have permission to go out there and start killing," said Sharon Young, marine issues field director for the Humane Society of the United States. Read the complete story here with video clip.
For all links and articles regarding this issue, please click here.
COURT WON'T STOP PLAN TO TRAP BONNEVILLE SEA LIONS
(February 26, 2009, Seattle PI)
A federal appeals court has refused to issue a stay sought by the Humane Society of the United States which would prevent sea lions being trapped and killed at the Bonneville Dam on the Washington and Oregon border. Trapping may begin as early as Monday. Read the complete story here.
For all links and articles regarding this issue, please click here.
SEALS WIN ROUND OVER CHILDREN'S POOL IN LA JOLLA
(February 17, 2009, Los Angeles Times)
Pro-seal activists won a major round for the seals today as the San Diego City Council agreed to ask for protected marine mammal habitat to Casa Beach in La Jolla, Ca. Read the LA Times article here. For a report from KGTV10 in San Diego, including video and related archived stories, please click here.
PRO-SEAL FACTION HOPES FOR VICTORY IN LAJOLLA BEACH DISPUTE
(February 16, 2009, Los Angeles Times)
A group fighting for the rights of seals to remain on a beach in La Jolla, Ca, are hoping for a San Diego City Council victory. The advocates want the state Legislature to add "marine mammal habitat" to the Casa Beach uses. The cove is one of the last remaining harbor seal rookeries along the Southern California coast. Read the full LA Times article here. To read more about the controversy and the harbor seals that reside and give birth here, please click here.
RESCUED SEA LIONS MAKE THEIR WAY BACK TO THE OCEAN
(February 16, 2009, Los Angeles Times)
Two California sea lions who developed a deep friendship while being rehabilitated at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach, Ca, were released back to the ocean today. Read the story and see video here.
NAVY'S PLAN TO USE DOLPHINS IN PUGET SOUND HAS ACTIVISTS HOT UNDER THE COLLAR (AND KNITTING SWEATERS)
(February 15, 2009, Los Angeles Times)
Local activists voiced opposition to the US Navy's plan to use dolphins and sea lions for defense purposes in Puget Sound. Read the story here.
NAVY STILL WANTS DOLPHINS, SEA LIONS TO PATROL KITSAP WATERS
(January 26, 2009)
According to the Kitsap Sun, the US Navy has resurfaced a proposal to have dophins and sea lions patrol Puget Sound waters as a line of defense against terror. The public is invited to make comments on February 11 and 12. Read more here.
UNITED KINGDOM TO IMPOSE TOTAL BAN ON SHOOTING SEALS
(December 29, 2008)
Recent statistics released have revealed that seal populations declined by 56% between 2000 and 2007 in the United Kingdom, with a 25% decrease in last year alone. Read more here.
HARBOR SEALS DECLINE ‘ALARMING’
(December 2, 2008)
Scientists from St. Andrews report that harbor seals are vanishing in the UK at an alarming rate. Read the full BBC report here.
JUDGE OKAYS PLAN TO KILL SEA LIONS AT BONNEVILLE DAM
(November 26, 2008)
A federal judge says state governments can proceed with plans to kill up to 85 California sea lions a year for five years in the Columbia River at Bonneville Dam. Read the story here.
For all links and articles regarding this issue, please click here.
OCEAN ANIMAL EMERGENCY: MARINE MAMMAL CENTER FEATURED IN DOCUMENTARY
(November 25, 2008)
"Part emergency room, part rehab facility, and part research lab, the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, California means the difference between life and death for sick and injured ocean animals. NOVA takes you inside this very special ER to witness the efforts of a renowned team of wildlife veterinarians as they fight to save their animal patients as well as to uncover the cause of a mysterious neurological illness plaguing marine mammals like California sea lions and harbor seal pups." View the entire documentary here.
SCOTTISH SEAL POPULATIONS PLUMMET
(October 2008)
Advocates for Animals has renewed its call on the Scottish Government to end the killing of seals in Scottish waters as new research shows a frightening fall in the numbers of common (harbor) seals around the coast. Read more here.
CANCER KILLING 'SIGNIFICANT' NUMBER OF CALIFORNIA SEA LIONS
A disproportionate number of California sea lions are dying from cancer according to the Marine Mammal Center in Laguna, California. Read the story here.
EUROPEAN COMMISSION MOVES TOWARD BAN ON SEAL PRODUCTS
(July 23, 2008)
The Humane Society commends European Commission for adopting a proposal to ban commercial seal hunts. Read more here.
SEAL PUP FOUND IN BACK OF CAR DIES
(August 14, 2008)
The same seal pup “rescued” from Whidbey Island beaches on two separate occasions by two different people has died. Federal officers are turning the case over to prosecutors and fines could be as high as $10,000 per person. Read more below:
“Seal pup found in the back seat of a car dies”
SEA LION ON WASHINGTON FAMILY’S BOAT MAY BE POISONED BY ALGAE
(August 6, 2008)
A California sea lion that hauled out on a Washington family’s boat may be suffering the effects of toxins from algae, causing aggression and disorientation. Read the story by clicking the link below:
“Sea lion that climbed on boat may be poisoned”
WANT TO HELP A BEACHED SEAL PUP? LEAVE IT ALONE
(July 31, 2008)
The Central Puget Sound Marine Mammal Stranding Network says if you see an apparently abandoned seal pup on the beach, stay away. It is normal for a pup to be alone on the beach while mom is away. Read more here.
SEAL PUP FOUND IN WHIDBEY ISLAND WOMAN’S CAR
(July 31, 2008)
In a prime example of what not to do when one encounters a seal pup on the beach, Whidbey Island, Washington, police were shocked to discover a week-old pup in a woman’s car during a routine traffic stop. The pup was taken to Wolf Hollow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center on San Juan Island for evaluation and rehab. Investigation is pending and charges may be filed as a direct violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. To read more and for video, click on the links below:
“Seal pup seized from woman’s car”
“Whidbey Island police find seal pup in woman’s car (video and text)”
CARING FOR BABY SEALS (video story)
(June 30, 2008)
At Wolf Hollow Rehabilitation Center in the San Juan Islands, rescued seal pups gain strength and are released back into the wild. View the video.
REWARD OFFERED AFTER SIX PROTECTED SEA LIONS ARE KILLED
(May 2008)
The Humane Society of the United States is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible for killing six federally protected sea lions on the Columbia River. Read the story here.
For all links and articles regarding this issue, please click here.
FEDS ALLOW SEA LION SHOOTING AT BONNEVILLE DAM
(March 18, 2008)
The Humane Society of the US announced strong opposition to a plan approved by National Marine Fisheries Service to allow as many as 85 California sea lions to be shot. Read the full story here: “Feds allow sea lion shooting at Bonneville Dam”
For all links and articles regarding this issue, please click here.
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(January 12, 2012)
Severe storms that have ravaged the Dutch coast have created a wave of orphaned seal pups - some still with umbilicus cords attached. Many of the weaned pups have been severely infected with parasitic lungworms and suppressed immune systems. In the last 10 days, more than 100 seals have been brought to the sanctuary, which now houses 350 seals. Read full story.
Read related story
Related story with slideshow
DOZENS OF STORM-BATTERED SEAL PUPS RESCUED BY RSPCA
(January 6, 2012, BBC)
Rough winter storms came at the worst possible time for seal pups along the coast of England. Over 60 rescued pups are being treated at a rehab facility. Read here.
RASH OF HAWAIIAN MONK SEAL KILLINGS
(January 5, 2012)
Two critically endangered Hawaiian monk seals were found bludgeoned to death on a Molokai in recent weeks. Earlier this month, a dead seal showed up on Kauai. A fourth possible killing on Molokai is also being investigated. The deaths have come as the federal government steps up its efforts to protect the seals, causing backlash from some fishermen. There are only 1,100 left in the world and scientists say they are on course to vanish in 50-100 years. Read story.
CLIMATE CHANGING OUTLOOK FOR HARP SEALS
(January 5, 2012, BBC)
According to researchers from Duke University, warming oceans and melting sea ice may have a major impact on harp seals, the animals which are hunted by Canada's annual seal hunt. Seals are dependent on ice for breeding, nursing and resting. Read story.
BABY SEAL SNEAKS INTO NZ HOME, NAPS ON COUCH
(December 15, 2011)
A seal pup managed to cross a busy road and enter a New Zealand home through a cat door. The pup was found sleeping on the homeowner's couch. Apparently, Lucky, has visited neighborhoods twice before and had to be returned to the sea. The Department of Conservation picked up the animal from the residence, but Lucky managed to escape from his container inside the vehicle and turn on the radio before being released on the beach. Read story.
BODIES OF SIX MURDERED SEALS FOUND IN CAPE COD
(June 11, 2011)
Six gray seals have been killed on Cape Cod, Mass, beaches over the past five weeks, all of them shot and "suffering greatly," a federal official investigating the deaths said. Read the full story.
Related story, Seals divide Chatham views.
NOAA APPROVES REMOVAL OF SEA LIONS AT BONNEVILLE DAM
(May 15, 2011, Associated Press)
Oregon and Washington have been given permission to resume removing or killing California sea lions at Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River, a federal agency said Friday. Read the full story.
SEA LIONS FEED ON STURGEON AT BONNEVILLE DAM
(February 26, 2011)
Oregon and Washington fishery agencies petitioned to remove Steller sea lions from federal protection - it is listed as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act. Key to that is to count how many salmon, steelhead and sturgeon the Stellers take.
The decline led Oregon and Washington this month to put the tightest limits ever on sport and commercial sturgeon fishing, the fourth straight year of cuts. While the states are about to adopt a conservation plan, most biologists and fishermen fear a continued decline of sturgeon, and an eventual halt to all sport and commercial fishing. Read the full story.
SURVEYOR SEALS REVEAL SECRETS OF ANTARCTIC DEPTHS
(November 8, 2010)
Seals are helping scientists map the Antarctic ocean floor and are providing valuable data that might reveal the reasons for rapidly melting ice. Read the full story.
MORE SEA LION DEATHS REPORTED ON OREGON COAST (PORTLAND KPTV NEWS)
(November 5, 2010)
A bacterial outbreak has caused numerous deaths in California sea lions along the Oregon coast. Scientists are warning tourists to stay away from the dying and dead animals. The disease can be transmitted to dogs and humans through contaminated urine. Read the full story.
VACATIONING COUPLE FINDS SEAL PUP ON BEACH AND TAKES BACK TO HOTEL ROOM
(June 22, 2010)
A young couple vacationing in Westport are accused of taking a harbor seal pup from the beach and taking it back to their hotel. Read the story.
NOT THE BEST SOUVENIR: COUPLE TAKES FOUND SEAL PUP BACK TO HOTEL
(June 24, 2010)
A young couple on vacation to the Washington Coast illegally picked up an "abandoned" seal pup, taking him back to their hotel room before calling authorities the following day. Read the full story.
SAVVY SEAL JUMPS ABOARD WHALE-WATCHING BOAT TO AVOID BECOMING ORCAS' LUNCH
(June 6, 2010)
One very lucky harbor seal escaped becoming lunch for a pod of transient orca whales Saturday by jumping onto two boats in the Juan de Fuca Strait. Read the full story.
ROPE BARRIER REMOVED, PUTTING LaJOLLA SEALS AT RISK
(May 15, 2010)
The rope barrier which protects the seal colony and newly born pups at Casa Beach has been removed due to the designated end of pupping season. This removal has allowed the public access onto the beach, disrupting the rest cycles of the seals and putting them at extreme risk for injury and other health problems. The San Diego City Council will vote Monday, May 17th, to determine the fate of the seal rookery. View the Channel 8 coverage here.
Additional tv coverage here.
To read all links and articles on this issue, please click here.
STRANDED SEA LION RESCUED FROM SEATTLE BEACH
(April 19, 2010)
Seal Sitters responded to reports of a stranded sea lion on Golden Gardens beach in Ballard. The injured and underweight California sea lion was removed from the beach by NOAA and WDFW. The sea lion died overnight and necropsy revealed a broken sternum and internal bleeding. All related stories and news videos here.
ANGER MOUNTS AS SEA LIONS ARE KILLED FOR EATING ENDANGERED FISH
(April 2, 2010)
Year to date, six healthy sea lions have been euthanized by Oregon state wildlife officials under a federal program allowing them to be killed if caught eating salmon at the Bonneville Dam, located on the border of Washington and Orgeon. Hungry sea lions have discovered that the dam is an excellent place to feast on fish as they gather at the base of the dam and attempt to scale the 6-story high fish ladder. Wildlife advocates argue that fishermen take 4 times as many fish as the feeding sea lions. Read the full story.
Read all related articles about the Bonneville Dam and sea lions.
WORST ICE YEAR KILLS CANADIAN SEALS BEFORE HUNTERS CAN
(March 26, 2010)
Thousands of harp seal pups are presumed dead in Canada's Gulf of St. Lawrence and starving pups are being found abandoned on the beaches of Prince Edward Island, victims of the worst ice conditions ever recorded in the region. The annual birthing grounds are virtually devoid of both ice and seals. Despite this devastating impact on the harp seal population, the Canadian government has increased the quota for this year's seal hunt. Read the full story.
For video footage from the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), click here.
SEAL PUP ONE OF THOUSANDS STRANDED ON CANADIAN BEACH DUE TO ICE SHORTAGE (March 25, 2010)
Tens of thousands of harp seal pups have washed up on Canada's Gulf of Saint Lawrence beaches during the worst ice conditions ever reported in the region. Read the story.
DARING RESCUE OF ENTANGLED STELLER SEA LION AT SEA LION CAVES
(March 21, 2010)
A stranding team from Oregon State University worked quickly with the owners of Sea Lion Caves and federal authorities late Thursday to rescue a Steller seal lion entangled in trawler net and trapped on the rocks. For story and video, click here.
CANADIAN SEAL QUOTA INCREASED BUT WEATHER MIGHT KILL HUNT
(March 15, 2010)
Despite an increased risk to the survival of this year's seal pups due to lack of sea ice, the Canadian government has increased the number of seals to be killed this season to 330,000.
Read the story.
BAD YEAR FOR SEA LIONS, STARVING PUPS WASHING UP ALONG CALIFORNIA BEACHES (March 12, 2010)
Sea lions are having a hard time finding food this spring, and pups are feeling the squeeze. Marine mammal experts report that dozens of sick and hungry sea lion pups have washed up on California shores this winter, many not making it even with the help they get at rescue centers. Researchers are blaming a lack of food. Read the full story.
SEA LIONS KILLED FOR EATING SALMON
(March 8, 2010, Huffington Post)
A California sea lion last week became the first salmon predator to be euthanized this year under a program that has been denounced by those who say there are far greater dangers to salmon – including the series of hydroelectric dams on the Columbia river. Read the full story.
Read all related articles about the Bonneville Dam and sea lions.
SECRET LIFE OF SEALS: BIOLOGIST STUDIES THE ODD ANIMALS - AND THEY STUDY HIM (March 5, 2010, LA Times)
Scientist Brent Stewart has studied elephants for 31 years and knows they are watching him. Read this fascinating article about his experiences with the seals of San Miguel Island, the westernmost island of the Channel Islands off the coast of Santa Barbara, California.
FIRST SEA LION OF YEAR KILLED FROM BONNEVILLE DAM
(March 4, 2010, Seattle Times)
Oregon's Department of Fish and Wildlife says it has killed its first fish-eating sea lion this year after capturing it at Bonneville Dam. A department spokesperson says the seal lion killed Wednesday is one of 64 on a list authorized for euthanization. Read the story.
Read all related articles about the Bonneville Dam and sea lions.
CANCER KILLS MANY SEA LIONS, AND ITS CAUSE REMAINS A MYSTERY
(March 4, 2010, New York Times)
For 14 years, since they first reported that a disturbing proportion of deaths among rescued California sea lions were caused by metastatic cancer, researchers have been trying to pinpoint the source of the illness. Read more.
HARD TIMES FOR YOUNG SEA LIONS
(Feb 21, 2010, San Jose Mercury News)
Researchers monitoring the sea lion population at Ano Nuevo Island Reserve this past summer noticed an odd and troubling trend - several starving yearlings. In 2009, the mortality rate for pups on San MIguel Island, off Santa Barbara shot up to nearly 80 percent in the third month, from a typical 30%. Read the story.
SEAL HUNT TO BEGIN IN NOVA SCOTIA THIS WEEK
(Feb 13, 2010)
The annual Canadian seal slaughter is scheduled to start this week in Eastern Canada. An anti-sealing organization plans to film the hunt and distribute the images to encourage a tourism boycott, a spokeswoman said.
Sealers are prohibited from using guns on the small island, so they use clubs to kill the seals. Curran said she saw sealers herd the animals into a group before killing them, a practice that has been condemned as inhumane by agencies such as the European Food Safety Authority, Curran said. Read the full story.
Join the HSUS (Humane Society of US) email campaign to Canadian authorities urging that this barbaric slaughter be halted.
HSUS OFFERS REWARD FOR SEA LION SHOOTINGS IN SEATTLE
(February 12, 2010)
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is offering a $2500 reward for information regarding the shooting of sea lions in the Seattle area. Please visit Seal Sitters' blog for reward details as well as updates and all news links on this breaking news story and three sea lions that were found shot to death on West Seattle beaches.
SEA LIONS SEAL FOUND SHOT TO DEATH IN WEST SEATTLE
(February 12, 2010)
The National Marine Fisheries is investigating the deaths of at least four sea lions and a seal that have been found shot on a beach in West Seattle. Read the article here.
Read the latest updates and all facts regarding this breaking story on Seal Sitters' blog.
ELEPHANT SEAL NEWS: STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL ON NARROW PIEDRAS BLANCAS BEACH
(January 28, 2010)
The high tides and high surf from storms have wreaked havoc at the elephant seal nursery, with the surf almost obliterating their birthing place. Read the story.
FACING BACKLASH IN EUROPE, CANADA HUNTS FOR NEW SEAL MARKET IN CHINA
(January 12, 2010, The Globe and Mail)
Despite growing world-wide opposition to the killing of seals for the fur trade, Canada has moved to sell seal fur, blubber and oil to the huge market of China. Read the story.
SEA LIONS FROM SAN FRANCISCO'S PIER 39 MAY BE IN OREGON
(January 12, 2010, LA Times)
Hundreds of sea lions that made their residence at the San Francisco tourist attraction Pier 39 have apparently relocated to Oregon where food is more plentiful. Read the story.
BEACHED WHALES KILLED BY INGESTING PLASTIC (December 18, 2009, Italy)
Seven sperm whales that beached at Foraggia, Italy, died from ingesting plastic in the ocean. Read the story.
To read related stories on ocean pollution and the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch", click here.
SEA LIONS SAVED BY CHICAGO AQUARIUM (December 13, 2009, LA Times)
Two sea lions removed from the Bonneville Dam on the border of Oregon and Washington were spared death thanks to the Chicago aquarium. Read the story.
SCOTTISH BILL THREATENS PREGNANT SEALS (November 30, 2009, The Guardian)
A new marine bill allows the shooting of seals during breeding season. Read here.
For more information about work being done to protect Scottish seals, click here.
HUMPBACK WHALE SAVES SEAL FROM ORCA ATTACK
(November 26, 2009)
NOAA scientists researching orca whales in Antarctica witnessed an amazing display of inter-species protection. A pod of orcas forced a seal off an ice flow, into the water and prepared to attack the seal. A humpback whale intervened and the seal sought safety on the mammal's massive body and protection under the whale's flipper. Read this amazing story here.
JUDGE SAYS SEALS CAN STAY IN LAJOLLA
(November 14, 2009, San Diego)
A judged has ruled that the harbor seal colony that has resided at Casa Beach for more than a decade can remain there and not be forced from the beach by water cannons and recordings of barking dogs. Read the fully story. To read all links and articles on this issue, please click here.
PACIFIC OCEAN "DEAD ZONE" IN NORTHWEST MAY BE IRREVERSIBLE
(October 9, 2009, LA Times)
An oxygen-depleted "dead zone" the size of New Jersey is starving sea life off the coast of Oregon and Washington and might be impossible to reverse. Read the story.
For more information on dead zones in the Pacific NW visit our pollution page.
TRAMPLING BLAMED FOR ALASKA WALRUS DEATHS
(October 1, 2009)
Trampling likely killed 131 mostly young walruses forced onto the northwest coast of Alaska by a loss of sea ice, according to a preliminary report released Thursday. Read the full story.
WWF related story with videos.
3000 walrus die in stampede in 2007 related to climate change.
JUDGE DISMISSES SEAL CASE
(June 30, 2009, La Jolla, CA)
Pro-seal advocates lost a round in court Monday when U.S. District Judge William Q. Hayes dismissed a case that would have required federal permits before the seals could be removed from the Children's Pool beach. Read more. To read all links and articles on this issue, please click here.
SICK SEA LION PUPS AND SEALS STRANDED AT RECORD PACE
(June 17, 2009, Laguna Beach, CA)
The Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach, Ca, is experiencing a record number of ailing sea lion pups and seals stranded along the Orange County coastline. The numbers are up a dramatic 74 percent compared to last year. NOAA believes the cause could be contributed to climate change and lack of food. Most of the sea lion pups are extremely malnourished and many have died. Read more.
ENVIRONMENTALIST PLAN SUIT TO PROTECT ICE SEALS
(June 4, 2009)
The Center for Biological Diversity announced intent to sue NOAA for delaying protection of Arctic seals under the Endangered Species Act. Read story here.
FEDERAL COURT: LEAVE THE SEALS ALONE
(June 1, 2009, San Diego, CA)
A federal court has issued a ruling that the City of San Diego is prohibited from harassing or dispersing the seal colony at Casa Beach in La Jolla. This negates the city's proposal to drive the seals from the beach using recording of barking dogs or other means. Read the story here. To read all links and articles on this issue, please click here.
WESTPORT SEA LION SHOT WITH ARROW
(May 23, 2009)
A male California sea lion has been spotted at a Grays Harbor marina with an arrow in his side. A $2500 reward has been offered for information leading to an arrest. For story and video, click here.
JUDGE: SEALS MUST LEAVE LAJOLLA CHILDREN'S POOL
(May 27, 2009, San Diego, CA)
A Superior Court judge has given the city of San Diego two weeks to devise a plan to remove a colony of seals from a La Jolla beach. The city plans to use recorded dog barks and possible water cannons to remove the seals from the established rookery. For article and video, please click here. To read all links and articles on this issue, please click here.
HOW TO MOVE THE SEALS? DOG RECORDINGS
(May 23, 2009, Sand Diego, CA)
According to the San Diego Union, the city of San Diego plans to broadcast the sound of barking dogs from 6am until dark every day in order to disperse a seal colony at Children's Pool beach in the affluent community of La Jolla. If the recordings fail to drive out the seals, the city will begin to spray water on the animals. The annual estimated cost for this proposed removal of the seals is $688,934. A state law is awaiting approval for a decision on whether the seals should be allowed to remain on the beach and establish a protected marine mammal park. Read the article here.
To read all links and articles on this issue, please click here.
EUROPEAN UNION PARLIAMENT PASSES IMPORT BAN ON SEAL PRODUCTS
(May 5, 2009, Stasbourg, France, AP)
The European Parliament voted to ban imports of seal producs Tuesday, trying to force Canada to end its annual seal hunt, which animal rights groups have critcized as barbaric. The EU assembly overwhelmingly endorsed a bill that said commercial seal hunting, notably in Canada, is "inherently inhumane." Read the full story here.
SEAL SLAUGHTER CRUELTY CONTINUES IN CANADA
(April 21, 2009, HSUS)
On Tuesday, Humane Society International/Canada released new footage from Canada's 2009 commercial seal kill at a press conference with Senator Mac Harb, the first Canadian parliamentarian to introduce a bill to end the seal hunt. Observers documented numerous cases of extreme cruelty, including apparent violations of Canada's Marine Mammal Regulations. Read the story here. Puget Sound activists from PETA, Northwest Animal Rights Network (NARN), IFAW and HSUS protested Tuesday at the Canadian Consulate in Seattle, calling for an end to the killing (photo).
To read more about the Canada seal hunt and to sign petitions protesting the slaughter, click here.
SWIMMING IN CONTROVERSY, SEA LION C265 IS FIRST TO BE KILLED
(April 17, 2009, The Oregonian)
Last month, "C265" became the first Californina sea lion legally euthanized by the government since the marine mammal protection act passed nearly 40 years ago. Read the story of why this sea lion, who ate approximately 43 salmon in one year out of roughly 85,000 which passed through the fish ladder at Bonneville Dam, was killed.
For all links and articles regarding this issue, please click here.
SACRAMENTO STEPS INTO THE CHILDREN'S POOL SEALS DEBATE
(April 14, 2009, San Diego)
A California state Senate committee signed legislation Tuesday to block the court ordered removal of a colony of harbor seals from a LaJolla beach. The action is one step closer to declaring the beach a designated marine mammal habitat and ending decades of legal battles between the city and animal protectionists. Read the story here.
To read more about the controversy and the harbor seals that reside and give birth here, please click here.
CANADA SEAL HUNT BEGINS AMID CONTROVERSY
(March 23, 2009)
Canada's annual seal hunt began Monday in expectation of the killing of 338,200 harp seals for pelts this season alone. Read the story here. To read more about the Canada seal hunt and to sign petitions protesting the slaughter, click here.
SLAUGHTER OF SEALS IN RUSSIA STOPPED BY PUTIN
(March 20, 2009, London Times)
Russia has banned the hunting of defenseless baby seals. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said, "This is a bloody business and it's clear that it needs to be stopped. Read the story here.
To read more about the Canada seal hunt and to sign petitions protesting the slaughter, click here.
FIRST SALMON-EATING SEA LION KILLED AT BONNEVILLE DAM
(March 12, 2009, The Oregonian)
Wildlife officials euthanized a salmon-eating sea lion at Bonneville Dam for the first time Thursday, killing it with a lethal injection after a health examination determined it couldn't be relocated to a zoo or aquarium. The California sea lion -- branded C265 -- is thought to be the first deliberately killed by a Northwest government agency. Marine mammals received legal protection under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972. Read the complete story here.
For all links and articles regarding this issue, please click here.
U.S. NAVY SEEKS TO BOOST PRACTICE EXERCISES OFF WEST COAST
(March 8, 2009, Seattle Times)
The U.S. Navy seeks to increase training exercises utilizing bombs, missiles and torpedoes off the West Coast and Puget Sound area. Environmentalists, scientists and lawmakers are demanding a review of the impact on marine mammals. Read the story here.
BONNEVILLE DAM SEA LIONS FACE CAGES OR SHARPSHOOTERS
(February 27, 2009, The Oregonian)
Wildlife officials will resume trapping of salmon-eating California sea lions at Bonneville Dam as soon as Monday. A federal appeals court raised the stakes Thursday when it denied a request from the Humane Society of the United States to block Washington, Oregon and Idaho from killing as many as 85 sea lions a year. "As of this point they have permission to go out there and start killing," said Sharon Young, marine issues field director for the Humane Society of the United States. Read the complete story here with video clip.
For all links and articles regarding this issue, please click here.
COURT WON'T STOP PLAN TO TRAP BONNEVILLE SEA LIONS
(February 26, 2009, Seattle PI)
A federal appeals court has refused to issue a stay sought by the Humane Society of the United States which would prevent sea lions being trapped and killed at the Bonneville Dam on the Washington and Oregon border. Trapping may begin as early as Monday. Read the complete story here.
For all links and articles regarding this issue, please click here.
SEALS WIN ROUND OVER CHILDREN'S POOL IN LA JOLLA
(February 17, 2009, Los Angeles Times)
Pro-seal activists won a major round for the seals today as the San Diego City Council agreed to ask for protected marine mammal habitat to Casa Beach in La Jolla, Ca. Read the LA Times article here. For a report from KGTV10 in San Diego, including video and related archived stories, please click here.
PRO-SEAL FACTION HOPES FOR VICTORY IN LAJOLLA BEACH DISPUTE
(February 16, 2009, Los Angeles Times)
A group fighting for the rights of seals to remain on a beach in La Jolla, Ca, are hoping for a San Diego City Council victory. The advocates want the state Legislature to add "marine mammal habitat" to the Casa Beach uses. The cove is one of the last remaining harbor seal rookeries along the Southern California coast. Read the full LA Times article here. To read more about the controversy and the harbor seals that reside and give birth here, please click here.
RESCUED SEA LIONS MAKE THEIR WAY BACK TO THE OCEAN
(February 16, 2009, Los Angeles Times)
Two California sea lions who developed a deep friendship while being rehabilitated at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach, Ca, were released back to the ocean today. Read the story and see video here.
NAVY'S PLAN TO USE DOLPHINS IN PUGET SOUND HAS ACTIVISTS HOT UNDER THE COLLAR (AND KNITTING SWEATERS)
(February 15, 2009, Los Angeles Times)
Local activists voiced opposition to the US Navy's plan to use dolphins and sea lions for defense purposes in Puget Sound. Read the story here.
NAVY STILL WANTS DOLPHINS, SEA LIONS TO PATROL KITSAP WATERS
(January 26, 2009)
According to the Kitsap Sun, the US Navy has resurfaced a proposal to have dophins and sea lions patrol Puget Sound waters as a line of defense against terror. The public is invited to make comments on February 11 and 12. Read more here.
UNITED KINGDOM TO IMPOSE TOTAL BAN ON SHOOTING SEALS
(December 29, 2008)
Recent statistics released have revealed that seal populations declined by 56% between 2000 and 2007 in the United Kingdom, with a 25% decrease in last year alone. Read more here.
HARBOR SEALS DECLINE ‘ALARMING’
(December 2, 2008)
Scientists from St. Andrews report that harbor seals are vanishing in the UK at an alarming rate. Read the full BBC report here.
JUDGE OKAYS PLAN TO KILL SEA LIONS AT BONNEVILLE DAM
(November 26, 2008)
A federal judge says state governments can proceed with plans to kill up to 85 California sea lions a year for five years in the Columbia River at Bonneville Dam. Read the story here.
For all links and articles regarding this issue, please click here.
OCEAN ANIMAL EMERGENCY: MARINE MAMMAL CENTER FEATURED IN DOCUMENTARY
(November 25, 2008)
"Part emergency room, part rehab facility, and part research lab, the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, California means the difference between life and death for sick and injured ocean animals. NOVA takes you inside this very special ER to witness the efforts of a renowned team of wildlife veterinarians as they fight to save their animal patients as well as to uncover the cause of a mysterious neurological illness plaguing marine mammals like California sea lions and harbor seal pups." View the entire documentary here.
SCOTTISH SEAL POPULATIONS PLUMMET
(October 2008)
Advocates for Animals has renewed its call on the Scottish Government to end the killing of seals in Scottish waters as new research shows a frightening fall in the numbers of common (harbor) seals around the coast. Read more here.
CANCER KILLING 'SIGNIFICANT' NUMBER OF CALIFORNIA SEA LIONS
A disproportionate number of California sea lions are dying from cancer according to the Marine Mammal Center in Laguna, California. Read the story here.
EUROPEAN COMMISSION MOVES TOWARD BAN ON SEAL PRODUCTS
(July 23, 2008)
The Humane Society commends European Commission for adopting a proposal to ban commercial seal hunts. Read more here.
SEAL PUP FOUND IN BACK OF CAR DIES
(August 14, 2008)
The same seal pup “rescued” from Whidbey Island beaches on two separate occasions by two different people has died. Federal officers are turning the case over to prosecutors and fines could be as high as $10,000 per person. Read more below:
“Seal pup found in the back seat of a car dies”
SEA LION ON WASHINGTON FAMILY’S BOAT MAY BE POISONED BY ALGAE
(August 6, 2008)
A California sea lion that hauled out on a Washington family’s boat may be suffering the effects of toxins from algae, causing aggression and disorientation. Read the story by clicking the link below:
“Sea lion that climbed on boat may be poisoned”
WANT TO HELP A BEACHED SEAL PUP? LEAVE IT ALONE
(July 31, 2008)
The Central Puget Sound Marine Mammal Stranding Network says if you see an apparently abandoned seal pup on the beach, stay away. It is normal for a pup to be alone on the beach while mom is away. Read more here.
SEAL PUP FOUND IN WHIDBEY ISLAND WOMAN’S CAR
(July 31, 2008)
In a prime example of what not to do when one encounters a seal pup on the beach, Whidbey Island, Washington, police were shocked to discover a week-old pup in a woman’s car during a routine traffic stop. The pup was taken to Wolf Hollow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center on San Juan Island for evaluation and rehab. Investigation is pending and charges may be filed as a direct violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. To read more and for video, click on the links below:
“Seal pup seized from woman’s car”
“Whidbey Island police find seal pup in woman’s car (video and text)”
CARING FOR BABY SEALS (video story)
(June 30, 2008)
At Wolf Hollow Rehabilitation Center in the San Juan Islands, rescued seal pups gain strength and are released back into the wild. View the video.
REWARD OFFERED AFTER SIX PROTECTED SEA LIONS ARE KILLED
(May 2008)
The Humane Society of the United States is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible for killing six federally protected sea lions on the Columbia River. Read the story here.
For all links and articles regarding this issue, please click here.
FEDS ALLOW SEA LION SHOOTING AT BONNEVILLE DAM
(March 18, 2008)
The Humane Society of the US announced strong opposition to a plan approved by National Marine Fisheries Service to allow as many as 85 California sea lions to be shot. Read the full story here: “Feds allow sea lion shooting at Bonneville Dam”
For all links and articles regarding this issue, please click here.
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