2/20/2004: Sea lion takes over cop car

[lumberjim]

Originally posted by hampor
The whole story is much more bizarre.

This Sea Lion turned up in the central valley farmland after swimming up some irrigation canals. This is a LONG way from the ocean.

More info here: http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/science...alley.seal.ap/

When they took it to the vet they discovered that it had been shot in the head some time last week, and that this may have accounted for it's disorientation.

The animal folks said that it's very hard to catch people who shoot marine animals (I guess this has happened before)

The Sea Lion is recovering well. It hadn't lost much weight before they found it.

Just imagine being able to jump onto the trunk of car. Without legs.

disoriented? i don't think so. I think he was looking for the sonofabitch that shot him!...they should have just followed him, and they'd have been able to nab the culprit!

[poohbearbeth]

"Get out of my dreams.....and into my car".......
I said HEY YOU.........

[novice]

THAT'S gonna be on Lumberjims cd fo sho.

[Leah]

I think I see a new movie coming on

The Seal Rider.

Go Keisha.

[tw]

Originally posted by Elspode
Fascinating story, that. Did Peter Benchley cite this historical occurance as one of his inspirations for "Jaws"?

Jaws is said to be based upon these 1916 shark attacks. Am not sure why that claim has been made, but I have heard that claim from multiple sources including printed sources.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Thanks TW. I freaked out my buddy last night with that story. He lives in Mt Royal, NJ. Right on a tidal creek bigger than that one.

[chrisinhouston]

from http://www.boattalk.com/sharks/bullshark.htm

"The Bull shark is found close to to shore and can live for a while in fresh water, frequenting estuaries, river and lakes. Bull Sharks have been found up to 1,750 miles up the Mississippi River in the USA and 2,500 miles up the Amazon River in Peru."

[mitheral]

Originally posted by wolf
Mebbe they got a really good deal on 2002 leftover Crown Vics, as equipped ...

Probably originally procured for pursuit duty. The RCMP in Kamloops BC had a set of $4000 wheels and tires off an Camaro IROC pursuit stolen before they had plates on the car once.

[tw]

Originally posted by chrisinhouston
Bull Sharks have been found up to 1,750 miles up the Mississippi River in the USA and 2,500 miles up the Amazon River in Peru.

Chasing sea lions? Do pirana fear a bull shark?

[glatt]

Originally posted by mitheral


Probably originally procured for pursuit duty. The RCMP in Kamloops BC had a set of $4000 wheels and tires off an Camaro IROC pursuit stolen before they had plates on the car once.

I'm not sure I'm following you. After reading it three times, I think you are trying to say "Someone stole the wheels off an unregistered cop car." Is that right?

[mitheral]

Yep. Plates = license plates; in BC you buy insurance and registration all at the same time from a crown corporation. You need to buy plates before you can drive a new car.

The new car was delivered to the police highway patrol lockup. The theives broke into the small chain link fenced parking lot (maybe space for 30-40 cars) where the new car was parked. They took the wheels off the car left with them. The cops eventually recoved the wheels with a bunch of other stolen property in Richmond (about 330km away). As you could imagine the fence was having a bit of trouble selling the wheels. I don't think there has ever been a hotter piece of stolen property in BC.

All of which shores up the idea that police pursuit specials sometimes have fancy wheels.

[BrianR]

the sea lion has been returned to the sea, where he belongs.

The story, from the Associated Press, is posted below.


_____________

321-Pound Sea Lion Returned to the Ocean

SAUSALITO, Calif. - A sea lion found more than 60 miles from the Pacific Ocean in the San Joaquin Valley last month was released back into the ocean Wednesday.

California Highway Patrol officers rescued the 321-pound male sea lion, nicknamed "CHiPpy" from a road in Merced County near Los Banos on Feb. 9.

On Wednesday, workers for the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito released CHiPpy to the ocean at Drake's Beach in the Point Reyes National Seashore.

After his rescue, the animal was transported to the Marine Mammal Center where he has been held until officials determined he was healthy enough to be returned to the ocean.

CHiPpy was hospitalized for a while because he was suffering from a gunshot wound. No clues yet have emerged as to how that happened.

The case has been turned over for investigation to the law enforcement arm of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The agency announced in February it would pay a $1,000 reward for information leading to a prosecution and conviction in the case.

Harming a sea lion is a violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Penalties range from a civil penalty of up to $12,000 or a criminal fine of as much as $20,000, plus jail time.

___

On The Net:

Marine Mammal Center: www.marinemammalcenter.org

[xoxoxoBruce]

Hey, it's just like the Sopranos. Shoot him in the head and dump him in the ocean.