Federal wildlife officials are investigating the deaths of five marine mammals found near Skagway, including one found with a bullet in its head.
Since January biologists have recovered the carcasses of two Steller sea lions and three harbor seals.
One sea lion appeared to have died from illness but the four other animals showed signs of head trauma. The bullet was recovered from a harbor seal.
It’s possible that subsistence hunters killed the animals legally but lost them before they could be recovered. Or they could have been illegal.
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