Update and correction: Whoops. Grace M. Yoxon of the International Otter Survival Fund in Broadfoard, Isle of Skye, Scotland, writes to report that Dateline Earth and Mr. Paysse have misidentified the “otter.” It’s actually a very young seal pup that looks to her like a “white-coat,” meaning it’s less than three weeks old. These “white-coat” pups don’t go into the water until they have molted, Yoson says. The Department of Ecology seems to back her up here.
Original post: Steven Paysse of Port Townsend wants to know what gives with the sea otter pup he saw Sunday at the edge of North Beach that had blood coming from its ear and was shivering as if it were cold. Someone had encircled the area with yellow ribbon “as if it were a crime scene. Indeed it seems that this could be the case.”
He’s wondering if the Navy sonar that was potentially implicated in the deaths of porpoises in the San Juan Islands could also be responsible for this poor pup’s predicament.
It slowly attempted to drag its way to the water and when at the edge decided to turn and head a few feet along the shore. It managed to walk four or five feet, then stopped and again laid its head on its side.
Paysse asks: What gives? He knows there has been growing evidence that military sonar harms sea creatures, especially marine mammals, whose sensitive hearing systems can bleed. He mentioned the protests against a joint U.S.-Australian military exercise this week, based in part on the problems with sonar. He continues:
Who took the pup and where was he taken? Did he die? Was he put down? Was the cause of his condition determined? . . . When was sonar last used in our waters?. Port Townsend has the munitions depot next door and the largest naval munitions ships passing along our shoreline. Is there a connection to sonar here? As a community we need to have these questions answered.