Injuries to a harbour seal found dead on White Rock’s East Beach last month were consistent with the mammal being hit by a boat, officials say.
The seal’s carcass was discovered June 26 near the bear statue by White Rock resident Roger Jendral, who told Peace Arch News the animal’s head was lodged in the sand and when he pulled it out, it had a plastic bag around it.
Paul Cottrell – Pacific marine mammal co-ordinator for Fisheries and Oceans Canada – said a necropsy performed by veterinary pathologist Dr. Stephen Raverty confirmed “blunt force trauma on the head/neck region suggesting a vessel strike.”