Sea Lions Not Shot

Another great sea lion photo by Bob Whitney

Remember how we wrote yesterday that six sea lions were found shot in traps in the Columbia River? Turns out they weren't shot. According to a NOAA press conference held this morning regarding the sea lion deaths, necropsies of the animals showed no evidence of recent gunshot wounds. X-rays did show metal fragments in the soft tissue of two of the sea lions, and another had a metal slug in its blubber. Another one of the sea lion victims had several shallow puncture wounds, consistent with a sea lion bite. Now that shooting as a cause of death has been ruled out, investigators say the possibilities are wide open.