The New York Times-20080129-Ecuador- Massacre of Sea Lions Investigated- -Brief-

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Ecuador: Massacre of Sea Lions Investigated; [Brief]

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Ecuadorean authorities are investigating the massacre of 53 sea lions that were found with crushed skulls in the Galapagos Islands, the nature reserve's officials said. The dead animals were in an advanced stage of decomposition when they were discovered scattered in a half-mile radius on the island of Pinta, said Victor Carrion, a Galapagos National Park official. The sea lions, including 13 pups, died because of a strong blow from someone, said Mr. Carrion, who added that authorities found no other killed animals but stepped up patrols of the islands. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization placed the Galapagos, 620 miles off the coast of Ecuador in the Pacific Ocean, on its list of endangered World Heritage Sites last year, saying they were threatened by invasive species, growing tourism and immigration.