Viral Video Shows Sea Lions Charging At Tourists In San Diego

A video going viral on the internet shows two sea lions charging at a group of beachgoers unexpectedly at San Diego's famous La Jolla Cove. The clip shows beachgoers running away from the approaching mammals.

According to a Fox5 report, the incident took place on Sunday evening as summer crowds, mostly tourists, overwhelmed the tiny, protected beach - one of the most iconic in California - trying to get up-close photos with the beautiful sea mammals and newly weaned pups.

The video shows two sea lions chasing away tourists. People can be heard screaming and running after seeing the mammals approaching them.

Moment angry sea lion CHARGES at tourists crowding protected La Jolla Cove in San Diego where visitors are told to stay at least 10FT away for their own safety: 'Everyone was screaming'
Video shows a sea lion charging at tourists in La Jolla, California on Sunday pic.twitter.com/RlNa7l1L74

— MassiVeMaC (@SchengenStory) July 25, 2023

"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," Japhet Perez Estrada, a La Jolla native and business owner, said to FOX 5 on Monday. He swims the cove every day and captured video of the incident as he was getting out of the water.

"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." 

The video is going viral on the internet. While some users said that humans should not encroach on their space, others said that sea lions were likely chasing each other.

"Don't blame them at all. Humans are a darn pestilence on this earth and the sealions know it," a user said.

"We are absolutely encroaching on their space I despair ... they are stressed out," said another. 

Robyn Davidoff, chair of the Sierra Club Seal Society told Fox News, "In the sea lion world, this is mating season and the males are trying to establish territory, both in the water and on land."

He added, "They do that by pushing the other one out of the way."

Sea lions are amazing creatures and their videos get a huge hit on the internet. A few days, the video of a sea lion nearly crushing an aquarium worker in Spain went viral.