TACOMA, Wash. – Three salmon-devouring sea lions captured at the Bonneville Dam and recently moved to the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium are leaving tonight for their new home at Sea World San Antonio.

The sea lions arrived at the zoo last Thursday after

being captured by state wildlife officials. Washington and Oregon fish and wildlife departments are catching sea lions that are eating endangered salmon at the dam in the Columbia River.

One 1,400-pound sea lion died Tuesday while undergoing medical inspection before transfer to a Sea World park

The Humane Society of the United State, which is mounting a federal appeals court challenge to federal authorization to kill or capture some of the animals, demanded a moratorium on the captures until a full investigation can be held.

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife spokesman Rick Hargrave said "it went under anesthesia and never came back."

He said the department's marine mammal specialist, Robin Brown, said such deaths are neither common nor unusual among marine mammals. He said plans are to continue trapping on Mondays and Thursdays.

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