DEL MAR, Calif. (KGTV) — Experts are asking the public to beware after a teenage boy was attacked by a sea lion while swimming in the ocean in Del Mar on the Fourth of July.
Dane Blair, 14, was catching waves with his friends when he made eye contact with a sea lion.
Dane says he was roughly 30 feet from the animal when the two made eye contact. Suddenly, the sea lion disappeared below the surface.
"It lamps its jaws around my knee, around my whole knee and then it bites me right in my behind," said Dane.
The boy swam ashore with the sea lion attached to him the whole time.
"It didn't let go. I tried pushing it off," said Dane.
Dane noted the sea lion was behaving oddly.
"When he washed up he was twitching and he was like on his side just. I don't know. He was out of it," said Dane.
Kim Peterson with the SeaWorld Rescue Team explained that erratic behavior is the result of a toxic acid found during the algae bloom, domoic acid.
The acid appears every season, but Peterson says this year it seems to be impacting more animals than in the past.
"It affects their brains, it affects their hearts," said Peterson.
She says her team has cared for more than one dozen animals suffering from the toxic algae this season.
The sea lion who bit Dane is currently in SeaWorld's care.
Peterson says beach-goers should stay a "bus length" away from sea lions right now.
"You don't want it to feel threatened. It's already in a really vulnerable state. It's not feeling well. Don't crowd it. Don't get close to it."
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)"For seals and sea lions in the water, or on shore, remain at least 50 yards away—about 1/2 a football field. This includes people and pets."
If you notice an animal at the beach in distress, contact SeaWorld at 1-800-541-SEAL (7325) or SWC.Rescue@seaworld.com.
