SAN DIEGO -- A dead sea lion found in La Jolla, Calif., on Friday appears to have been shot, reported KGTV in San Diego.

The sea lion was found on Wipeout Beach not far from the Children's Pool.

Activists who track animals in the area said it was a young male sea lion that appeared to have a single gunshot wound to the heart.

"When I flipped it over, I immediately noticed the clean puncture, which is most definitely a shotgun," said activist Maryjane Aalam.

Aalam is part of a night watch at the Children's Pool and she said the sea lion likely spent time around the cove.

"What's very troubling is that now this kind of killing is happening in and around a protected marine mammal reserve," said Aalam.

She said the area has had a history of violence against the animals.

"I've been tipped off by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) agents that this has been an ongoing problem with fisherman; spear fisherman -- they're killing them, poisoning them, feeding them fish with dynamite, but this is the first time that I've seen that we've had an animal that has been shot," Aalam said.

As the debate rages on about how to disperse the animals at the Children's Pool, Aalam said it seems the animals are in more danger than ever.

Aalam said in these cases lifeguards should report the incident to NOAA, and not SeaWorld. She said she was alarmed that possibly after more than three days, the carcass was still on the beach.

San Diego police told KGTV they have passed along the information to NOAA, which is investigating the incident. Seals and sea lions are protected by federal law.