Update: Federal wildlife officials say the six sea lions trapped in a steel cage at Bonneville Dam died of heat prostration. Experts theorize that the trapped marine mammals, which have thick layers of fat for insulation overheated when they were unable to return to the cold river water. Skin lacerations on one of the seals indicate they were under stress. The exact cause of death is beside the point since the animals would not have died but for being trapped by human agents who should be protecting them from harm.
Officials associated with the trapping of sea lions at Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River now say there is no evidence that six sea lions were shot to death. However the dead protected mamamls were found inside a closed cage, and its unlikely they died of natural causes. Seals were basking on the floating platforms days before the trapping began. Apparently, necropsies have not yet been performed to shed light on the cause of death. On the legal front, US Humane Society lawyers have obtained an agreement with the Feds to delay any further action against the sea lions until 2009.