Official: 5 Or 6 Sea Lions Killed Near Seattle

At least six sea lions were found shot to death on the shores of West Seattle, authorities said.

Will Washington lives on the beach in West Seattle and said when he went for a walk Sunday he found a dead sea lion with two obvious holes in its head.

"It's wrapped up in the rocks, we were shocked," Washington said.

Two days later another marine mammal washed up on shore and was also found to have a bullet in its body.

The carcasses of six animals have appeared on West Seattle beaches in the last two weeks. Four California sea lions, a harbor seal, and a Stellar sea lion that's on the endangered species list -- all of them were shot and killed.

WATCH IT: 5 Dead Sea Lions, 1 Seal Wash Ashore In West Seattle

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.

"It's not clear when the shooting took place or even where it took place," Gorman said.

At least one sea lion is found dead near Seattle each year, but five was an unusually large number, Gorman said.

Seattle has a love-hate relationship with California sea lions, which are accused each year of eating too many threatened spring Chinook salmon.

"Some people don't like them," Gorman said of the seals, pointing out the irony that sport fishermen want to do exactly what the sea lions do: eat salmon.

Janette Wilson is with Seal Sitters, a non-profit group in West Seattle dedicated to protecting sea lions. She and Robin Lindsey want to stop the killings and are encouraging neighbors to keep their eyes out for the shooters.

"If you have anything that looks suspicious at all, we're anxious to get to the bottom of this just like everyone else is, so we'd welcome help," Wilson said.

Gorman said it's legal to kill a sea lion if it's threatening your life or your safety. Some Indian tribes had been allowed to kill the mammals, but those permits no longer exist.

NOAA fisheries has received reports of three, to as many as seven more sea lion carcasses still floating in Puget Sound.

The Humane Society of the United States is offering a $2,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the sea lion shooters.

The West Seattle Blog first reported the sea lion deaths.

Seal Sitters has information on reporting a seal on a beach in West Seattle.