Sea lion at Tacoma dies

A sea lion captured at a Columbia River dam died Tuesday while state authorities were preparing to transport it from a Tacoma zoo to another facility.

The 1,454-pound California sea lion had been anesthetized Tuesday afternoon during a veterinary exam at Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma, said Sandra Jonker, spokeswoman for Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. As the male sea lion was coming out of anesthesia, it struggled to resume breathing and died.

The animal was one of seven removed from the Bonneville Dam April 24, where wildlife managers are trying to reduce the number of sea lions preying on protected salmon attempting to navigate the dam. Previous attempts to push the sea lions back from the dam had been unsuccessful, prompting federal regulators allow the states to remove the sea lions.

All seven sea lions were held in temporary quarantine at the Tacoma zoo for disease testing prior to being sent to aquariums around the country. Three sea lions were scheduled to leave Tuesday for Sea World San Antonio.

Jonker said a necropsy has been scheduled to determine the deceased sea lion's cause of death. Results won't be available for several weeks.