Video appears to show person kicking sea lion: "Disgusting act"
Summary
Federal wildlife officials are investigating a video that shows a person kicking a protected sea lion at a California beach. The agency confirmed the investigation but gave no further details, while local authorities and animal welfare groups expressed concern about animal harassment.Key Facts
- A video shows a person kicking a sea lion at La Jolla Cove, San Diego, California.
- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is investigating the incident.
- Sea lions are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, making harassment illegal with fines up to $36,000 and possible prison time.
- People are advised to stay at least 50 feet away from sea lions to avoid disturbing them.
- NOAA has only four enforcement officers for all of California and relies on local park rangers and volunteers for help.
- The person in the video has not been publicly identified.
- San Diego’s mayor called the act animal cruelty and asked local law enforcement to review the footage.
- Animal groups report that some sea lion pups have died in the area, possibly because their mothers were scared away by people.
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