Another Marine Mammal Shot in Washington, This One a Pup

A harbor seal pup is fighting to recover after being shot in the head off Washington state's coast. The male pup, about three weeks old, is in critical but stable condition at Sea Life Response, Rehab and Research (SR3) in Des Moines, the group said in a Facebook post. An X-ray taken after he was brought in over the July 4 weekend revealed the bullet; staff performed surgery and have since moved him outside with other pups.

If his condition keeps improving, SR3 plans a CT scan to determine his long-term outlook and whether the bullet can be removed. It's the third marine mammal with a gunshot wound the facility has treated in 11 months, reports KIRO7, and SR3's executive director suspects the shooter may have been aiming at an adult seal. Shooting seals or sea lions is a federal crime under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.