SAN DIEGO — Federal officials are investigating a reported incident in which a man appeared to kick and harass a protected sea lion on a city operated beach.Subscribe to read this story ad-freeGet unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries’ Office of Law Enforcement is investigating reports of a video that “shows an interaction between an individual and sea lion,” NOAA Fisheries spokesperson Rachel Hager said by email Saturday.“In the video, the individual appears to be kicking the sea lion,” she said.
“This is an ongoing investigation, and we cannot provide further details at this time.”NBC News could not immediately obtain or verify the video because its apparent owner deleted their social media accounts.The person in the video has not been publicly identified.
Authorities said the reported incident happened Wednesday night near La Jolla Cove, where Sea Lions have been so plentiful on wet, sandstone plateaus that city officials have scrambled to provide them with sufficient real estate that’s off-limits to visitors.The San Diego Police Department told NBC San Diego it fielded tips about video via social media and asked those concerned to reach out to NOAA.On Saturday, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said he’s asked police to review the purported video of the incident.“This disgusting act of animal cruelty is unacceptable,” the mayor said on X.
“We must protect our wildlife.”The U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service and the San Diego Police Department did not immediately respond to NBC News’ requests for information.The Sierra Club Seal Society said it also reported the incident to authorities and would monitor the investigation’s progress.Robyn Davidoff, chair of the Seal Society, 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,” s...