San Francisco Sea-Lion Attacks! Terror Level: Whisker

Culture & Society Forum

Recent Sea-Lion Attacks Concern Experts
By MARCUS WOHLSEN, AP

SAN FRANCISCO (Nov. 28) - Tourists flock to Fisherman's Wharf for the seafood and the stunning views of San Francisco Bay, but for many visitors, the real stars are the dozens of playful, whiskered sea lions that lounge by the water's edge, gulping down fish.

Now a series of sea-lion attacks on people in recent months has led experts to warn that the animals are not as cute and cuddly as they appear.

"People should understand these animals are out there not to attack people or humans. But they're out there to survive for themselves," said Jim Oswald, a spokesman for the Marine Mammal Center across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco.

In the most frightening of the recent episodes, a rogue sea lion bit 14 swimmers this month and chased 10 more out of the water at San Francisco's Aquatic Park, a sheltered lagoon near the bay. At least one victim suffered puncture wounds.

Some scientists speculate that the animals' aggressive behavior is being caused by eating fish contaminated by toxic algae, or by a shortage of food off the coast. But wildlife experts say even healthy sea lions are best left alone.

In Southern California in June, a sea lion charged several people on Manhattan Beach and bit a man before waddling into the water and swimming away. In Berkeley, a woman was hospitalized last spring after a sea lion took a chunk out of her leg.

Last year, a group of sea lions took over a Newport Beach marina and caused a vintage 50-foot yacht to capsize when they boarded it. And a lifeguard in Santa Barbara was bitten three times while swimming off El Capitan State Beach.

In Alaska, a huge sea lion jumped onto a fisherman's boat in 2004, knocked him overboard and pulled him underwater; he escaped without serious injury.

Sea lions, which can reach 1,000 pounds, typically bite only if they feel threatened or cornered. And they are more likely to flee than fight if they can escape. Researchers have described the most recent attacks, in which some swimmers were chased through open water, as abnormal behavior.

Still, with a population numbering about 200,000 and growing, these playful, social creatures are increasingly likely to cross paths with humans.

Sea lions accustomed to the easy pickings of seafood scraps in popular fishing areas can become aggressive toward people if they fear their food is about to be taken away, Oswald said.

The Berkeley attack, for example, was at a marina where fishermen dock their boats and feed fish scraps to sea lions. After they ran out of scraps, the sea lion turned aggressive and bit a crew member.

At the same time, a food shortage off the Southern California coast could be driving more hungry sea lions than usual to San Francisco Bay, said Lynn Cullivan, a spokesman for San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park.

Humans could also be contributing to aggression in sea lions in another way: Toxic algae blooms fed by agricultural runoff and other pollution can lead to the poisoning of marine mammals by a chemical called domoic acid, which can cause brain damage. The Marine Mammal Center treated more than 200 sea lions for domoic acid poisoning last year.

Veterinarians at the center believe the brain damage caused by the poison could have led to the marauding animal's erratic behavior in Aquatic Park, Oswald said, though they cannot be sure without actually examining the sea lion.

So far park rangers have not been able to track the attacker down. Nevertheless, the lagoon where the attacks occurred has been reopened to swimmers, though with new signs warning people to stay away from sea lions.

"People who swim with the lions - though I'm sure that's nice - it's probably not the best thing to do," Oswald said. "It's a wild animal. And you want to keep them wild."
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-HECK!

Why do people get surprised when something like this happens? They LOOK cute and cuddly, they may even BE cute and cuddly, but they're not there for you to mess with. They're not STUFFED animals. People need to stop disturbing animals. Of course they're going to defend themselves! Why are people swimming up to them? idiots. Those people deserve to get bitten.

In La Jolla there's a cove where you can see a BUNCH of sea lions/ seals whatever come up to the beach and just lay there like broccoli or they play around with each other on the waves, it's ADORABLE! They had to tape off the beach b/c people kept going to pet these animals. And I hate when I see kids throwing crap at them from the little walkway they have the parents are just sitting there giggling. Jerks. That's why your kids are little twerps. Don't mess with the animals - except for the sharks. PLAY WITH THEM! they're nice.

where's george costanza when you need him.

Yeah, like when Koala's attack. It's like, whoooooooa. But pitbulls you expect. Never the Koala's.

Any wild animal, even domesticated animals are capable of attacking humans. Freakin' people think they live in a f'n Disney cartoon with the stupid ass talking mice, dogs or candlesticks. Guess what, in real life you can get bit, mauled and burned by those things. You are not Tarzan, Dr. Doolittle or Aquaman. You do not speak to the animals. That's how that bear watcher dude was lunch. Even a seasoned pro like the Croc Hunter was killed. Respect the wildlife and if you really want to see them up close make sure there's a cage in between you.

-HECK!

yes, but no matter how well you train pitbulls and rots, they can turn on you because it's in their NATURE. You don't see dalmations attacking people do you?

Polar bears are super cute. but aren't they super deadly? that bear guy was NUTS. That was a real bear, it's not baloo and his bear necessities, thanks.

I have no sympathy for these people, if you go in the water you play by the sea animals rules and if you get attcked by a sea - lion, or bitten by a shark or a couple of passing penguin's turn's your kid gay well you should not have been in the water. People should realise we don't belong in there.

nice post lodgebo.