WATCH | Beachgoers run in all directions as aggressive sea lions come charging

A video of beachgoers at La Jolla Cove beach in San Diego, California is going viral on social media. The footage shows wild sea lions leaving the beach waters and charging towards the shore as tourists run to seek a safe spot away from the animals. The sea lions can be seen roaring in low frequency capturing the attention of the beachgoers, some of whom were seen stepping back while others were seen clicking pictures of these aquatic creatures.

Walking on all fours, some of the sea lions could be seen running fast towardthe tourists while others play along with others of their kind. The visuals of the whole incident at the beach also captured the sea lions taking dives in the water by making a perfect curve with their big bellies.

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Lifeguards who were present at the beach at that time cautioned the people to stay away from the sea lions.

“Everybody, let's please give that large, male sea lion plenty of room,” a San Diego lifeguard can be heard saying over the public address system in the video.“They have bitten people, and they are protected animals," he added.

As the animals charged toward the shore, tourists scattered in all directions and started running away.

Fortunately, neither tourists nor any sea lions were hurt during the incident.

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According to a report by ABC7, big algae bloom on California's central and southern coasts in the month of June was the cause of killing sea lions and dolphins.

It was also reported that algae bloom could be the cause of distress in the animals which further has the capability to make them aggressive.

Netizens react

The video initially shared by the Instagram user quickly gained traction with many dropping interesting comments on it.

One user commented, "What can we do to close this beach? Glad to see the sea lions taking a stand" while the other said, "People it’s there beach your not to be bothering them. It’s their home!"

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Another user wrote, "People need to respect these beautiful creatures!!" Yet another user expressed concerned, "Close the beach to people."

La Jolla Cove beach, a famous tourist spot

La Jolla Cove beach where this latest incident took place is popular for snorkelers and scuba divers. In the past, there have been calls for the closure of the beach or limit its access.

"Members of the public have been observed trying to touch, take selfies, and get as close to sea lions as possible which is a dangerous situation for both the public and the animals," the city in a statement said.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The agency said, "Even if you don't see these reactions, we recommend you keep yourself and your pets at least 100 yards (the length of a football field) from seals and sea lions to make sure you're not disrupting important behaviour, such as resting, feeding, nursing, or breeding."

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