Federal wildlife authorities are investigating after a video appeared to show a person kicking a protected sea lion at La Jolla Cove in San Diego, California. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) confirmed the investigation but declined to provide additional details as of Sunday.
Video shows repeated kicks at sea lion
The video, which surfaced on social media, appears to show an individual throwing kicks at the sea lion while at least one other person can be heard laughing in the background. The person follows the sea lion, continuing to kick it as the animal attempts to scoot away before the recording ends.
“NOAA Fisheries’ Office of Law Enforcement is investigating reports of a video on social media that shows an interaction between an individual and sea lion, allegedly in La Jolla Cove,” a spokesperson for the agency said. “In the video, the individual appears to be kicking the sea lion. This is an ongoing investigation, and we cannot provide further details at this time.”
Sea lions protected under federal law
Sea lions are federally protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which prohibits harassment, hunting, killing, or capturing of marine mammals. NOAA guidelines recommend staying at least 50 feet (15 meters) away from sea lions, seals, and other species protected by the act.
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria condemned the incident, calling it “this disgusting act of animal cruelty” in a post on X. He acknowledged the federal investigation and said he has directed local law enforcement to review the footage.
The individual in the video has not been publicly identified. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities urge anyone with information to contact NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement.
