In British Columbia, Canada, sea lions have been found beheaded. Wildlife specialists are trying to explain this regrettable and scabrous phenomenon.
Anna Hall, marine mammal zoologist at Sea View Marine Sciences, alerts to cases of headless sea lions washed up on the coast between Nanaimo and Campbell River, British Columbia (Canada).
"From what I can see in the photos, these are Steller sea lions, which are a species at risk in Canada," she explains to Radio-Canada.
The photos come from a local resident who could not keep her terror to herself: "I was devastated, completely devastated by this," she says. "I couldn't believe someone could cut off the head of a sea lion … It was shocking to me.", Relayed by CTVNewsVancouver.
"To me it seems intentional, whether by one person or a group of people. I sincerely hope that Fisheries and Oceans Canada will pursue this matter to determine who is responsible and to bring him to justice, as it turns out is a violation of federal law, "added the specialist.
It would therefore not be the result of natural predators such as orcas and sharks passing through the maritime region. And unfortunately these macabre discoveries are not the first in the region.
Four decapitated sea lions were found on the beaches of Vancouver Island in 2013. Then in 2014, at least 12 carcasses of headless seals were found on the shores of the St. Lawrence River, Quebec, according to CBS. Marine mammals are protected in Canada through the Fisheries Act and the Species at Risk Act.
Within the ecosystem, these creatures have a very important role, their disappearance is very worrying.
"It is really important to think about the bigger picture in terms of recovering our local waters, as they have come under fairly significant human pressure over the past 200 years," said Anna Hall in her interview.
Desecrations?
CTVNewsVancouver contacted the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) and learned that the federal agency is investigating the phenomenon of headless sea lions. A more detailed response came later. DFO told the media that there has been a slight increase in reports of sea lions on Vancouver Island. "From time to time, individuals can attack animals once they are stranded," said a DFO spokesperson. "If it is determined that this was done for the purpose of knowingly manipulating evidence, it would constitute an offense under the Penal Code of Canada". The DFO conservation and protection branch is also aware of the social media activities related to pinnipeds and has stated that it monitors them closely, said the spokesperson.
Read in Vice, Thomas Sewid, President of Pacific Balance Marine Management (PBMM), a group that advocates for an indigenous-led seal hunt, says that these photos of severed head sea lions were put on the PBMM social networks to discourage hunters from using this tactic. He is categorical: the headless animals do not come from his group, because the native hunters would take more than the head of the animal.
"They take no skin, so they are not First Nations," said Thomas Sewid.
The population of pinnipeds on and around the island has been controversial for some time. A group of commercial fishermen believe that animals are the cause of the decrease in the number of salmon in the region, which has led several groups to lobby for a hunt to reduce the formation of the population. Against their proposal, a petition was launched on Change.com of the Animal Alliance of Canada against hunting and collected more than 27,000 signatures.