Sea Lions Chase Away San Diego Beachgoers

While slumbering sea lions can be adorable, a new video that’s appeared online shows just how un-adorable the creatures can be when humans get too close for comfort.

The clip shows a group of people quietly approaching a pair of sea lions lounging at San Diego’s La Jolla Cove.

When they get within a few feet of them, the sea creatures suddenly hop up and charge, causing the frightened group to scatter in all directions.

The sea lions then dive into the ocean and make a beeline for the deep sea, forcing a number of panicked swimmers to get out of their way. “I started recording because it was really funny to watch for me to see all these tourists getting blown away by these giant sea lions,” says Charlianne Yeyna, who took the video. “Like, they are still wild animals and you need to give them their space. I think that this shows that they are not to be messed with.”

Photo by TK