SAN SIMEON — Wildlife investigators are searching for suspects in the shooting deaths this weekend of three elephant seals near San Simeon, an attack that may be connected to the shooting of six sea lions in Oregon along the Columbia River.

Visitors to the Piedras Blancas rookery, about 12 miles north of Cambria on Highway 1, were shocked to learn of the shooting Sunday, which happened sometime Friday night to Saturday morning.

The violence is said to be a first for the rookery.

Elephant seals are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and disturbing one of the seals is a federal offense.

Injuring or killing an elephant seal can be prosecuted as a misdemeanor.

A violation of the law can result in civil penalties of up to $12,000, criminal fines of up to $20,000 and jail time.

The heads of three male elephant seals with bullet fragments lodged in them will be used as evidence by agents with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, supervising State Parks Ranger Leander Tamoria said.

Investigators hope to use the bullet fragments to determine what type of gun or guns was used in the shooting.

The bodies of the slain seals, from 2 to 5 years old, have been buried in the sand on the beach, near the turnoff to Hearst Castle and not far from where they were discovered.

Docents with Friends of the Elephant Seal discovered the slaughtered animals Saturday morning and reported the incident to officials.

"We think this was done by people with too much time on their hands," Tamoria said. "It was probably somebody trying to show off."

$5,000 reward offered

The ranger speculated that the incident involved more than one person and that a flashlight might have been used to shine light on the animals in the dark as shots were fired.

The shots appear to have been fired from a distance of not more than 50 yards, Tamoria said, perhaps from the small bluff and walkway where visitors flock during the day to watch the animals.

A reward of up to $5,000 is being offered by wildlife officials for information leading to the arrest of the shooter or shooters.

About 3,000 elephant seals are now resting on the beach as they molt.

'This is wrong'

Visitors to the overlook above the rookery Sunday called the killings senseless.

"It's cowardly and ignorant," said Nancy Nyman, who stopped on her way home to Los Angeles.

"I believe in karma, and this will come back to haunt them."

Siblings Amy Yingst, 18, and Kevin Yingst, 15, said they were visiting Pismo Beach over the weekend and stopped while returning to their home in Visalia.

"This is wrong," Amy Yingst said. "It's stupid and harmful."

Signs have been posted at the lookout warning visitors of the poaching and asking them to notify authorities with any information.

Tamoria said it will likely take somebody coming forward to crack the case.