NOAA investigates video of sea lion kicked in San Diego

Federal wildlife officials are investigating a video that appears to show a person kicking and harassing a protected sea lion at La Jolla Cove in San Diego, where city officials have been trying to keep visitors away from marine mammals during the busy summer season.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries’ Office of Law Enforcement is reviewing reports of the video, agency spokesperson Rachel Hager said.

“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,” 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.”

The video, which circulated on social media and was reported by NBC San Diego, appears to show a young person kicking at a sea lion perched near the edge of a seawall. The person follows the animal and throws more kicks as the sea lion tries to move away. At least one other person can be heard laughing in the background, The Guardian reported. NBC News said it could not immediately verify the video Saturday, and social media accounts believed to belong to the person who posted it appeared to have been deleted.

The person in the video has not been publicly identified. Authorities said the reported incident happened Wednesday night near La Jolla Cove, a popular shoreline area where sea lions gather on wet sandstone plateaus.

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said Saturday that he had asked local police to review the footage.

“This disgusting act of animal cruelty is unacceptable,” Gloria said on X. “We must protect our wildlife.”

The San Diego Police Department told NBC San Diego it received tips about the video through social media and directed concerned people to contact NOAA. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the San Diego Police Department did not immediately respond to NBC News requests for information.

Sea lions are protected under the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act, which bars harassment of the animals and carries penalties of more than $30,000 per violation and possible prison time. NOAA guidelines say people should stay at least 50 feet, or 15 meters, away from sea lions, seals and other species protected by the law.

The Sierra Club Seal Society said it also reported the incident to authorities and would monitor the investigation. Robyn Davidoff, the group’s chair, told NBC San Diego the person who allegedly kicked the sea lion should be prosecuted.

“That kind of behavior is not acceptable, whether it’s a person being punched or an animal,” Davidoff said. “Because these are a protected species, this is assault.”

San Diego has taken steps to separate people from sea lions as the animals gather for the warmer months of pupping season. City signs mark some areas as closed to visitors, prohibit dogs and warn: “CAUTION: DO NOT APPROACH SEALS/SEA LIONS.”

The beach remains a draw for tourists, and clashes with marine mammals have occurred before. In February, NBC San Diego reported, a San Diego park ranger guided a family of tourists away from sea lions at La Jolla Cove after witnesses said children in the group were throwing sand and rocks at the animals.

Federal prosecutors in May also charged a visitor to Maui with harassing and attempting to harass a protected animal. A lawyer for Igor Lytvynchuk of Covington, Washington, said his client was trying to protect sea turtles when he allegedly threw a coconut-sized rock at an endangered Hawaiian monk seal. Lytvynchuk has pleaded not guilty, and the case is awaiting trial, court records show.