See It: Sea Lions Charge Out of Water, Chase Away California Beachgoers

A sea lion rushed toward crowds of tourists on an iconic California beach Sunday, sending them scurrying into a frenzy.

Japhet Perez Estrada is a La Jolla native who swims the La Jolla Cove in San Diego every day, according to KSWB. When the sea lion began aggressively approaching the photo takers, Perez Estrada got out of the water and began filming the incident.

“I feel like people should educate themselves a little bit about the marine life here — what to do, what not to do, respect the sea lions, don’t touch them, don’t get in their space,” Perez Estrada said.

“I looked to my left and I see a big sea lion just come out of the water and start charging and that’s when it turns to chaos,” Perez Estrada said. “Everyone was screaming and running around.”  

La Jolla Cove is a beach area that's surrounded by cliffs and is protected as part of a marine preserve. It has been long known as a popular place for tourists to try and get close-up pictures of marine mammals like sea lions.

There are signs posted that warn visitors not to touch the animals but it’s not regulated or fined, and it’s rarely enforced. Lifeguards also try warning beachgoers to stay at least 10 feet away from the animals.

“People get bit here every summer, people get charged every summer. And for us locals, it’s annoying because we like and respect the wildlife here,” Perez Estrada added. “I understand their excitement and they want to get close, but it’s nature. You got to give a distance.”

Throngs of beachgoers on Monday climbed rocks and got “dangerously close” to more sea lions, according to KSWB. Some people climbed into a cave where sea lion pups rest and a man with kids tried feeding a male sea lion just a few feet away.

Perez Estrada said this typically happens every day.

“We can see that right here there’s a sea lion, it’s obviously being a little aggressive, being territorial, and we have little kids standing maybe five feet away from it,” he said. “Parents should be more aware of the sea lion barking and that’s just a recipe for disaster.”

Another woman at the beach on Monday said she was surprised at how fast the sea lions can move.

“I guess I got a little too close, not as close as these guys. He was really big and surprisingly fast,” the woman said. “It’s one of those things, you’re just like, ’Oh my God. I’ve got to get away from him.’ I kind of tripped up the stairs. The terror was there.”