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For Immediate Release
• Defenders of Wildlife • U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Reward offered for information on sea otter and elephant seal beheading
Monterey, Calif.—Defenders of Wildlife has offered a $2,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of those responsible for beheading a sea otter and an elephant seal last week at the Morro Strand State Beach. Authorities are still investigating the incident, but they believe that the animals were beach-stranded and dead before their heads were severed.
The California Department of Fish and Game has turned the investigation over to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
“Beheading a sea otter and elephant seal is a bizarre and grisly act, but we’re confident the public will do the right thing and provide information to authorities,” said Jim Curland, marine program associate for Defenders of Wildlife. “Hopefully, this incident will show that crimes against wildlife will not be tolerated by concerned citizens and members of the public.”
The southern sea otter is protected under both the federal Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act and has a fully protected status under California state law. The elephant seal is protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Currently, the three-year running average for the southern sea otter population is estimated at slightly more than 2,800 animals.
In the marine ecosystem, sea otters are considered "keystone species," meaning that their presence or absence has a significant impact on other marine species and marine ecosystems. Sea otters help sustain vital kelp forests by feeding on the shellfish and other plant-eating species that would otherwise consume kelp forests. Kelp forests, in turn, serve as important nursery grounds for many types of fin fishes.
The northern elephant seal has a long history of direct exploitation by humans who hunted them extensively for their blubber. From a very small number of animals post-exploitation in the l890s, the population has successfully rebounded to healthy numbers.
For more information on California sea otters, please visit saveseaotters.org.
Defenders of Wildlife’s rewards come from our Imperiled Species Reward Fund.
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Defenders of Wildlife is dedicated to the protection of all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With more than 1 million members and activists, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife heritage for generations to come. For more information, visit www.defenders.org.
