Elevate your local knowledge
Sign up for the iNFOnews newsletter today!
A $20K reward is offered after a sea lion was found with a fatal gunshot wound on a California beach
Original Publication Date: October 10, 2024 11:58AM
Publication Updated: April 11, 2025 10:23PM
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. (AP) — Federal officials this week offered a $20,000 reward for information about the fatal shooting of a sea lion in Southern California over the summer.
The wounded male sea lion was discovered Aug. 7 between two lifeguard stations at Bolsa Chica State Beach in Orange County, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The animal, estimated to be about 2 years old, died the next day, and an examination revealed it had a gunshot wound to the back, NOAA Fisheries said in a statement Wednesday.
The agency said its law enforcement division is offering the reward “for information leading to a civil penalty or criminal conviction” in connection with the shooting,
The federal Marine Mammal Protection Act prohibits harassing, hunting, capturing or killing sea lions and other marine mammals. Violators can face criminal penalties, fines, and the forfeiture of any vessel involved in the incident.
Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to contact NOAA.
Sea lions live along the U.S. West Coast and can sometimes be spotted on beaches, docks, jetties and buoys.
News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Join the Conversation!
Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?
You must be logged in to post a comment.
