Rare Sea Turtle Found Shot to Death Off Laguna
A rare 1,000-pound leatherback turtle was found dead of bullet wounds in the surf off Laguna Beach, said John Cunningham, director of Friends of the Sea Lions Marine Mammal Center.
Cunningham said it appeared that the huge creature, an animal included on state and federal endangered species lists, had been struck by at least six bullets, possibly fired from an automatic or semiautomatic weapon. The discovery was made Thursday.
“Some swimmers saw it off Victoria Beach, pulled it in to the shore and called us,” Cunningham said. “I can’t understand anyone shooting an animal that way. The only reason I can think of is it might have been tangled in a commercial fishing net and was shot so the net could be cleared.”
He said leatherback turtles seldom are seen this far up the coast, preferring warmer waters to the south.
Bill Ford, executive director of the mammal center on Laguna Canyon Road, which treats sick and injured seals, sea lions and other marine animals, said the turtle had a flipper spread of 8 feet, 8 inches.
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