Hope

In the Colombian River below the Bonneville dam many Californian sea lions are being captured because they are eating salmon. These sea lions are eating salmon that are endangered species. To protect the salmon the sea lions are being removed from the area. Even though the sea lions are being caught and transported somewhere else far away from their home, this relocation is better than having a bullet between their eyes. Before the Humane Society of the United States appealed to have the sea lions captured and taken to marine parks or back to the wild, many were simply killed. Recently though 6 sea lions were found dead on floating traps. Three California sea lions, two Stellar sea lions and one baby sea lion died. Many scientists say that the six sea lions were shot to death; however, later the scientist said that the sea lions died of heat stroke even though the weather was a high of 60 degrees and a low of 35 degrees. There was a lot of blood in the cages, so much blood that the officials had to put a tarp around the fence. Also they were not even in the cages for a full 24 hours making it very unlikely they die of natural causes. Many humans and animals were very shocked about this cruelty towards the sea lions. If this was bad enough, a few day after this killing the police found another dead sea lion apparently shot to death.

The National Marine Fisheries Service wants to remove the sea lions because they are eating an endangered species of salmon, although sea lions are not the only reason why the salmon are endangered. Many scientists say commercial fishing, pollution and sport fishing are also causing the fish to die.

I am very upset about the the killings of the sea lions. Like them sea otters such as myself are always threatened by fisheries because we eat crab, clams, mussels and octopus. Apparently this is the food they want too. What makes me more mad is that these sea lions were defenseless and could not hide because they were in cages. Plus these sea lions are endangered species too! What also bugs me is that these marine biologist say that the sea lions died from heat even though it was 60 degrees and these sea lions can live in hot places. It seems the human government does not want to blame commercial fisheries and pollution for the cause of the salmon downfall. I can only hope that these sea lions will make it without being murdered.

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." - Gandhi