California Sea Lion pup. Photo from NOAA.

It’s not as if California Sea Lions are strangers to the Oregon Coast, but this winter they’re showing up in unusually large numbers.

Wildlife officials think the reason is El Nino, the every-so-often warming of the waters of the Pacific Ocean near South and Central America. They say during an El Nino, the prey that sea lions eat are carried northward by changes in ocean currents. So the sea lions are simply following the food.

See the story from the Eugene Register Guard: Surplus of sea lions

• 15 sea lions captured
• 7 euthanized
• 4 relocated to a zoo or aquarium
• 4 released

The 11 that were killed or released were on a special watch list of sea lions that are especially heavy predators of salmon at the dam. The seven sea lions that were put down had viral infections making them unsuitable for zoos or aquariums. Although it’s unlikely wildlife officials would have found homes for all of them, even if they were healthy.

One sea lion, numbered C287, has been especially lucky at the dam, taking about 100 fish so far this spring. He remains at large.