SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - Thousands of people are expected to head to the coast this weekend to beat the heat, and some folks are already getting too close to the sea lions that call the shore line home. The City of San Diego is warning beach goers to keep a safe distance from the animals.
ABC 10News reporter Natay Holmes visited La Jolla Cove Wednesday morning, and while there, she witnessed some visitors getting far too close.
Our cameras were rolling when a sea lion jumped at a woman for getting too close as she tried to take a selfie.
July is the midst of pupping season; there are sea lions on the beach as young as a few weeks old. Advocates say the mothers and fathers can be very protective at this time.
Our news team also witnessed visitors making their way down to the shore and surrounding a group of the mammals. The lifeguard called for them to get back, and a city worker even went down to confront them.
“It really should be people with authority down there making sure that people are at least 50 feet away,” says Carol Toye with the Sierra Club Seal Society. “What we’re advocating is there should be a visual cue on how far people should be away, with cones, with tape, with something like that.”
Toye says volunteers are at La Jolla Cove almost daily trying to inform beachgoers about keeping their distance from the sea lions. She says she believes the city should be doing a little more to keep the animals and people safe.
Park rangers say watching the sea lions from a distance, such as the boardwalk, is always the best and safest option.
“We want to make sure that people recognize they are wild animals,” says Park Ranger Michael Ruiz. “Females average 200 pounds; males can average 800 pounds.”
The park ranger says if visitors are seen harassing the animals they can be fined.
There are some areas that are closed to visitors like Point La Jolla, but La Jolla Cove is open for swimmers and other recreational sports.
