The bait-and-switch ‘sea lion’ letter
Tom Bauer (“Sea Lions Hurt by Human Factor,” Jan. 15) responds to my letter (“Let Natural Selection Work on Sea Lions,” Jan. 4) about domoic acid poisoning of sea lions by suggesting that there is evidence that humans are causing the poisoning.
He provides no evidence, no research and no claims by any persons in the scientific community suggesting that this poisoning comes from any source other than a naturally occurring toxic bloom that often happens during an El Niño year.
Instead, he immediately changes the subject and talks about marine mammals being caught in fishing line, wrapped in plastic or suffering gunshot wounds. None of these isolated incidents justify wasting millions of dollars on sea lion hospitals. He never addresses the problem of overpoulation of sea lions.
By his last paragraph, the bait-and-switch is complete. He finally starts talking about the problems of the African elephant, rhinoceros, orangutans, gorillas and Bengal tigers. What does that have to do with sea lions?
Melvin de la Motte, San Luis Obispo
This story was originally published February 5, 2016 at 8:38 AM with the headline "The bait-and-switch ‘sea lion’ letter."