Sea lion bites swimmer off San Diego beach in rare attack, California officials say

An attacking sea lion repeatedly bit a man swimming off a San Diego beach, California lifeguards told news outlets.

The 6-foot sea lion bit the 51-year-old man on his arms, legs and torso at Mission Beach at 6:45 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20, lifeguards told KGTV.

A nearby boogie boarder alerted lifeguards to the attack about 50 yards offshore, lifeguards told KNSD. Lifeguards pulled the man, a regular swimmer at the beach, from the water.

He was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, KGTV reported.

“I do not recall an incident of a sea lion biting someone with the extent of injuries that occurred this evening,” Lt. Rick Strobel with San Diego Lifeguards told KNSD.

Conflicts between humans and sea lions at another San Diego beach at La Jolla Cove have prompted calls to secure the beach from visitors, KFMB reported.

“There seems to be this misconception of what’s okay and not okay at the beach and this is the worst year. People approaching sea lions trying to touch them, trying to take selfies and film with them,” resident Kris Golojuch told the station.

Seven of the nine sea lion pups born in the cove this summer have died, Robyn Davidoff, chair of the Sierra Club Seal Society of San Diego, told KFMB.

Male California sea lions can reach up to 7.5 feet long and weigh up to 700 pounds, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They are a protected species.

This story was originally published September 22, 2024 at 8:21 AM with the headline "Sea lion bites swimmer off San Diego beach in rare attack, California officials say."