Thursday March 14, 2024
KGW 8 —
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 Sarah 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.”