WATCH: Sea lion suddenly pulls little girl into the water
We have often been warned not to feed wild animals to avoid the risk of injuring ourselves and the animals. But sometimes, tourists just can’t help being tourists.
The clip here shows a large sea lion, possibly a California sea lion native to the British Columbia area, picking up food being thrown into the water by several people in a nearby dock.
The animal is seen briefly propelling itself out of the water in search for more food. In the next instant, the sea lion suddenly pulls a little girl sitting on the edge of the dock into the water.
A man quickly jumps in the water and grabs the girl while the sea lion swims away.
Instead of an attack, National Geographic reports that it may be closer to an act of curiosity, as sea lions have been known to be curious animals. They have been seen circling and investigating divers without harming them.
While it may have been a harmless act from the sea lion’s perspective, the little girl could have been seriously injured. In addition, feeding wild animals could have negative effects on the animals’ behavior, since this can lead animals to equate the presence of humans to free food. Alfred Bayle/JB
