Authorities in California are offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest or conviction of those responsible for shooting a two-year-old sea lion at Bolsa Chica State Beach on August 7. The sea lion, discovered with a gunshot wound to its back, was rescued by the Pacific Marine Mammal Center but succumbed to its injuries the following day. The incident is a violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which prohibits the harassment, hunting, capturing, or killing of marine mammals and carries penalties including fines up to $34,457 and up to a year in prison. The NOAA Office of Law Enforcement is spearheading the investigation and is urging anyone with information to contact their hotline. The act does allow for non-lethal deterrents to protect private property, provided they do not harm the animals. The sea lion population off the California coast is estimated to be at least 257,000.