The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is on the lookout for the individual responsible for viciously stabbing a young seal on an Oregon beach multiple times. This distressing incident occurred in March within a cove located in the tranquil town of Neskowin, which lies along the Pacific coastline. According to NOAA, despite the brutal attack, the seal managed to survive. Last month, the agency’s marine stranding team successfully relocated the seal to a more secluded beach in Washington state for better recovery.
Michael Milstein, a spokesperson for NOAA Fisheries West Coast region, communicated through an email that the seal’s healing process was well underway, with the animal now weighing approximately 300 pounds. Encouragingly, there appear to be no indications that the injuries would cause any “lasting effects.”
In response to this attack, NOAA’s law enforcement office has launched an investigation into the matter. They are diligently searching for a “person of interest,” who was reportedly witnessed in the vicinity of the attack. Additionally, officials are seeking the owner of a vehicle that was noticed in a nearby parking lot behind a condominium, potentially linked to the incident that occurred on a Sunday evening.
NOAA officials urge anyone who possesses information regarding the person of interest, the owner of the vehicle, or details about the attack, to reach out to their enforcement hotline.
During the spring and summer months, it is not uncommon to see juvenile elephant seals along Oregon’s beaches as they haul themselves ashore for weeks to molt, shedding their hair and skin, according to the Marine Mammal Institute at Oregon State University. Although, adult elephant seals are seldom seen in this region.
Milstein further explained that the attacked seal had likely recently separated from its mother and was navigating life independently, particularly learning how to hunt. It is believed that once the seal had matured a bit more, its instinct would lead it back to the Channel Islands off Southern California, a primary breeding region.
This cruel act is a clear violation of the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act, which strictly forbids the harassment, harm, killing, or feeding of wild elephant seals and other marine creatures. Any violations of this act can result in severe consequences, including criminal fines reaching up to $100,000 and imprisonment for up to one year.