US hunts man who decapitated California sea lion

A bike rider who decapitated a dead sea lion over Christmas and rode off with the animal's head in a clear plastic bag was being hunted in the US on Thursday.

Officials were offering $20,000 for information leading to the conviction of the man who sliced the creature's head off on a California beach.

A notice from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said the intact body of a dead sea lion was spotted at Doran Regional Park, about 60 miles (100 kilometers) north of San Francisco, on December 25.

But a short time later the pinniped's corpse was horrifically mutilated.

ALSO READ: ‘I miss lynch mobs’: The secretary of retribution's followers are getting impatient

"An eyewitness described the suspect as a tan-complexioned male, approximately 30–40 years old, dressed in all black and riding a black fat-tire e-bike," NOAA said.

"The suspect was seen using a black 8-inch (20-centimeter) knife to remove the sea lion's head, placing it in a clear plastic bag, and riding away."

Under federal law, it is illegal to harass, hunt, capture or kill sea lions and other marine life in the US.

California sea lions are one of six known species and a common sight along the western coast of North America, including around Fisherman's Wharf and the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, where their distinctive barking can frequently be heard.

Known for their intelligence, they are sometimes trained to perform tricks in circuses and aquariums, and have been used by the US Navy to carry out military operations.