How do the live traps work?
Sea lions naturally haul out of the water and rest on structures such as jetties and docks. They will also haul out into floating cages, which have long been used by wildlife biologists studying these animals. In a typical operation, a biologist leaves the door to the trap open until one or more animals are inside, then trips the door shut. This year, wildlife managers are taking additional precautions to ensure that no animals are inadvertently shut inside the cage traps. Under one new protocol, the trap doors will be locked open to prevent them from closing accidently when the traps are untended. The doors also have been fitted with magnetic locks that require a code to open. In addition, the Corps has updated its surveillance systems at Bonneville Dam to monitor the entire area where the traps are set up.
