PORTLAND, Ore. — Welcome to Portland, pinnipeds!
Sea lions were spotted Wednesday morning near Hayden Island in the Columbia River, between Vancouver and Portland.
The long stretch of sea lions fascinated residents, including Sahara Jones, who has lived on Tomahawk Island for years but has never spotted one — let alone this many.
But it's not an unusual behavior, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
"It is normal for this time of year. Sea lions will follow the smelt run as it comes up the river in the early part of the year especially around the Cowlitz and Sandy Rivers and in between," explained the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. "Once the smelt run concludes, typically, a large portion of these seals and sea lions return back down to the estuary."
PHOTOS: Sea lions at Hayden Island
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) confirmed this is business as usual, saying that it's common to see sea lions in the area as they follow smelt, then salmon as they begin to come up the river.
NOAA explained that the sea lions are all males that have "dispersed up and down the West Coast at this time of year from breeding rookeries in the Channel Islands off southern California."
"The females stay back in the islands to nurse and raise the pups, while the males spread out along the West Coast to feed and get bigger and brawnier for the next breeding season," explained Michael Milstein from NOAA.
The sea lion population is currently around 250,000 to 300,000, and with its growth, the agency has seen more in the Columbia River, as well as "up and down the Oregon Coast, in Puget Sound, and even north into Alaska."
"They are very widespread and adaptable," Milstein said.
Despite their cuteness, though, sea lions have a somewhat contentious relationship with the state.
Related to walruses and seals, sea lions are federally protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act— making it illegal to harass, hunt or kill any marine mammals. But at the same time, Oregon wildlife officials have used exceptions in the law to kill hundreds of sea lions over the past few years. According to Oregon Fish and Wildlife, Columbia River and Willamette River salmon and steelhead "face serious threats" from multiple breeds of preying sea lions.
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