It isn’t bacteria-tainted water or a sewage leak that’s pressured the closure of one in every of Monterey’s seashores in the course of its summer season vacationer season.
It’s an enormous colony of sea lions, who’ve determined to occupy a stretch of San Carlos Seashore on busy Cannery Row as a substitute of their regular rocky sanctuary a brief distance away.
And by the seems of it, the pinnipeds gained’t be leaving anytime quickly.
The group of principally male sea lions travels yearly from the Channel Islands to relaxation and feed and so they often keep alongside adjoining seashores however this time, they determined to name San Carlos Seashore their residence, metropolis spokesperson Laurie Huelga mentioned.
Metropolis officers don’t know when the ocean lions, who’ve already been on the seashore for 2 weeks, will go away however they often keep between three and 4 weeks, Huelga mentioned. The town’s parks employees has been working with the Monterey Bay Nationwide Marine Sanctuary to observe the animals.
“We wish residents and guests to be protected whereas visiting the shoreline, and remind you to get pleasure from and watch the ocean lions from a distance of not less than 50 yards,” metropolis officers mentioned in a Monday information launch. “Please keep in mind, we people are sharing this house with different species.”
Sea lions and different marine mammals are protected beneath the Marine Mammal Safety Act, which implies anybody who feeds, harasses, captures or kills them might face fines or jail time, in response to the discharge.
