Oregon recovers sea lion body, investigating death

PORTLAND — The body of a sea lion has been recovered from the Columbia River near Portland and its death is under investigation.

The animal was spotted floating in the river Tuesday near the Interstate Bridge between Oregon and Washington — just two days after six sea lions were found shot to death in traps on the Columbia near Bonneville Dam.

The body of the sea lion was towed to a Multnomah County sheriff's river patrol boat dock for storage.

Oregon State Police are investigating the death with state and federal wildlife agencies.

There was no indication whether the latest sea lion death was also a killing or whether it was natural causes.