40% of sea lion pups born at La Jolla Cove have died this year, according to the Sierra Club Seal Society — a mortality rate four times higher than the 10% rate recorded at a nearby beach that is closed to the public.
Wildlife advocates say human interference is a key factor. When people get too close to sea lion pups, it can break the bond between a pup and its mother, leading to abandonment.
Robyn Davidson, chair of the Sierra Club Seal Society, said rangers should be doing more to deter visitors from approaching the animals.
"What we would like to see is the Rangers, you know, issuing warnings or giving tickets, even if they're not enforceable ... then the message gets out," Davidson said.
Signage is already posted at the cove, and park rangers use bullhorns to warn visitors. Cones and tape are occasionally placed around the animals as well.
The Sierra Club Seal Society also maintains a regular presence at the beach to educate the public.
"We point out nursing pups so that we find that once people understand that about the animals, they are more likely to give them space," Davidson said.
However, enforcement is complicated by a jurisdictional gap. It is a violation of federal law to assault or get too close to a sea lion. But the city says it cannot enforce federal law. That responsibility falls to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, according to a city spokesperson.
As a result, park rangers are limited to warning people with a bullhorn and reporting assaults to NOAA. They are not issuing tickets, but giving reports to NOAA when violations do occur, according to a city spokesperson.
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