A group of San Diego sea lions recently went viral for chasing after some humans who were disturbing their cozy time.
Well, at least that’s what the humans thought.
Charlianne Yeyna was visiting La Jolla Cove when she started recording a woman who was trying to take a picture of some nearby sea lions that were taking a nap.
But one of the sea lions woke up mid-snooze and started to chase the woman who was trying to catch him on camera.
Apparently, this spooked the other beach goers as well because about two dozen of them started to flee as the two sea lions charged toward the crowd.
They didn’t give chase for two long. They’d much rather go back to lounging by the sea, and so they did.
Mike Sington ended up tweeting a video of the ordeal that has been viewed more than 822,000 times.
“Sea lions fed up, chase beachgoers off their turf in La Jolla, California,” the caption of his tweet read.
May through July is prime breeding season for sea lions.
So, you’ll often find lots of sea lions populating Southern California beaches and coves during this time.
But experts say that those sea lions weren’t chasing humans at all. They were actually just chasing each other.
“You would really only notice if you watch a lot of sea lion behavior, but the fact that one jumps in the water and the other does so quickly after shows they are following one another,” a SeaWorld San Diego spokesperson said according to Newsweek.
It is believed that these sea lions weren’t fully grown adults because they look to weigh about 500 to 600 lbs each.
Full-grown sea lions weigh between 800 and 1,000 lbs.
“These were two young bulls and they were chasing each other,” Carol Toye of the Sierra Club told FOX 5. “They will go about their business just as if we’re not there, which makes it even more important to really keep the distances.”
Beachgoers are advised to stay at least 50 feet away from sea lions.
“I wasn’t worried ’cause I stayed far enough away but I wouldn’t be swimming,” one tourist told the news outlet.
Those who harass the animals can also be fined.
“People should be cautious and keep their space at a reasonable distance,” the SeaWorld spokesperson said. “Although sea lions may get close to visitors along the beach it’s always recommended that we/the public do not get close and interrupt their behavior.”
However, sea lion attacks are rare. La Jolla Point was actually closed to accommodate the wildlife.
Some fear that La Jolla Cove could also be closed in light of the growing amounts of wildlife in the area.
Sea lions, one hunted for their meat, skin, and oil, are not protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
Check out the La Jolla Cover sea lions in the video below.
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Sea lions fed up, chase beach goers off their turf in La Jolla, California. pic.twitter.com/tC7AvQrj0I
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) July 10, 2022
