Two sea lions found dead with apparent shotgun wounds

Federal authorities are investigating the deaths of two sea lions found in Seal Beach with what appeared to be shotgun wounds.

City lifeguards discovered the two adult sea lions north of the Seal Beach pier Wednesday morning, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Service sent an agent to investigate, said agency spokesman Jim Milbury. The sea lions probably died about two weeks ago but just recently washed onto the beach, he said.

Their bodies were being transported to the Marine Mammal Care Center in San Pedro for a necropsy to determine the cause of death, he said.

It is not unusual for dead sea lions to wash ashore. But if the deaths were caused by humans, attackers could face penalties for killing the federally protected species: up to $200,000 per animal and one year in jail, Milbury said.

Two other animals--either sea lions or seals--were found on the same beach earlier this week with apparent gunshot wounds but have already been buried, authorities said.

-- Tony Barboza