Aggressive Sea Lion Knocks Paddleboarder Into Ocean in California
A woman reported being bitten and having her hair grabbed by a sea lion while paddleboarding near Santa Cruz.
A paddleboarder in Santa Cruz, California, was knocked into the ocean and bitten by a sea lion during an aggressive encounter. The incident occurred around 8 a.m. between Capitola Wharf and Privates Beach near Pleasure Point.
Heather Gray, the paddleboarder, described the experience as "like a horror movie." During the attack, the sea lion bit her arm, hand, and feet, and also grabbed her hair. Video footage captured the moment Gray was forced off her board and into the water.
After getting back on her board, Gray headed to shore, but the sea lion reportedly followed her. She told KNTV that the sea lion's behavior was not typical, stating, "We’re so used to seeing them get really comfortable with them, and I knew this wasn’t really like normal."
A friend took Gray to urgent care, where she received tetanus and rabies shots for the bites. Gray speculated that the animal might have been one of the sea lions affected by domoic acid poisoning, a condition that has been impacting marine mammals in the Monterey Bay area.
The Marine Mammal Center has reported an increase in sea lions and fur seals suffering from domoic acid poisoning this year, with the exact cause of the increase still unknown. This neurotoxin, which accumulates in small fish and is then ingested by marine mammals, can cause unpredictable behavior.
Another sea lion incident involving a surfer near Santa Cruz was also reported on Tuesday. The Marine Mammal Center advises maintaining a distance of at least 150 feet from animals that may be exhibiting symptoms of domoic acid poisoning.
Despite the frightening encounter, Gray expressed that the incident would not deter her from returning to the water once the domoic acid and red tide conditions clear.