Overview
- A short social-media clip that appears to show a person kicking a California sea lion on a low wall at La Jolla Cove was recorded shortly before midnight Wednesday and spread widely, prompting public outrage.
- NOAA Fisheries’ Office of Law Enforcement has opened an active investigation into the footage and is asking anyone with information to call its tip line at 800-853-1964.
- The individual in the video has not been publicly identified and no arrests or charges have been announced as the probe remains ongoing.
- Local leaders and groups condemned the act; Mayor Todd Gloria asked police to review the video, the incident was reported to California Fish and Wildlife and referred to NOAA, and the San Diego Police Department says it was not notified when the event occurred.
- Sea lions are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which allows civil fines and possible criminal penalties, and advocates warn the incident risks disturbing animals during a sensitive pupping season while enforcement relies heavily on park rangers and partner agencies.