A $21,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of those who shot and killed three threatened Southern sea otters last year. The endangered species were found shot to death on Pacific Grove’s Asilomar Beach by Monterey Bay Aquarium biologists in September. The Federal Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act, which the otters are protected under, says killing a California or Southern sea otter is an illegal crime punishable by federal and state fines, along with penalties and possible jail time. Meanwhile, the California Sea Otter population is struggling, with about 3,000 in existence today compared to over 15,000 pre-fur trade era.
