US Authorities Urgently Seek Information on Attacker Who Stabbed Elephant Seal Pup in Oregon

DD Animal News

An elephant seal pup, still learning to navigate the wild, narrowly escaped death after being brutally stabbed in a secluded cove near the Proposal Rock Condominiums in Neskowin, Oregon.

The horrifying attack occurred on the night of Sunday, March 16, between 8 p.m. and 11:30 p.m., prompting an urgent plea from NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement for public assistance in identifying the attacker.

The young seal, weighing around 300 pounds, suffered multiple stab wounds but miraculously survived. It has since been moved to a safer location after being evaluated by the Marine Mammal Stranding Team. Michael Milstein, a public affairs officer with NOAA, emphasized the importance of protecting these vulnerable marine mammals.

“Young elephant seals like this often spend time on their own, learning to hunt and grow, before eventually returning to breeding areas in and around the Channel Islands off Southern California,” he said in a statement to The New York Times.

A Desperate Hunt for Justice

The suspect is described as a white male, approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall, with a standard build. He has black and white hair, a neatly groomed beard, and a large gap between his front teeth. Witnesses recall him wearing aviator-style glasses with thick lenses, a thin blue and light green fleece top over a lined checkered shirt, and a thin blue and yellow cord around his neck, similar to those used in climbing. He also wore dark trousers, a low-profile black cap with a flat front featuring an orange excavator logo with the word ‘Timber,’ and lightweight hiking shoes or low boots.

Investigators are also looking for a dark blue 1990s Dodge or Chrysler van that may be connected to the suspect. The vehicle, seen near the cove’s parking lot behind the Proposal Rock Condominiums, had a rear passenger window on the driver’s side covered in plastic and appeared cluttered inside.

Severe Legal Consequences

“This kind of cruelty is not just shocking, it’s illegal,” NOAA said in a statement. “The Marine Mammal Protection Act exists to protect animals like this seal from harm, and we intend to hold the responsible individual fully accountable.”

This act of cruelty constitutes a clear violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which strictly prohibits the harassment, harm, or killing of marine mammals. Convictions under this federal law can result in fines of up to $100,000 and one year in prison for each offense. NOAA is determined to hold the responsible individual accountable, urging anyone with information to come forward.

How to Help

If you have any information about this incident, you are encouraged to call the NOAA Law Enforcement Hotline at (800) 853-1964. Reports can be made anonymously. Additionally, if you encounter an injured, dead, or stranded marine mammal, please contact NOAA’s West Coast Stranding Hotline at (866) 767-6114. For marine mammals entangled in debris, call NOAA’s Entanglement Reporting Hotline at (877) 767-9425.

This heinous attack on a defenseless animal serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing need for vigilance and compassion when it comes to protecting our marine wildlife.