Group calls for city management at La Jolla Cove after three sea lion pups found dead

Christelle Koumoué
·2 min read
17

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — One group is calling for change after three sea lion pups were recently found dead at La Jolla Cove.

On Sunday, Sierra Club Seal Society volunteers were at La Jolla Cove educating the public to view sea lions from a safe distance.

Three sea lion pups, only a few weeks old, have been found dead in La Jolla Cove in the last six days. Out of nine pups born in the Cove so far, only three remain at last count.

“We have sea lions who give birth here every year, so we try to educate people and encourage people to view these animals safely,” said Carol Toye, volunteer with Sierra Club Seal Society.

One dead pup was found Saturday on the Cove public beach, partly buried in the sand with a large lobster carcass on its head.

“We know that there is some mortality in the first months, but here going from nine to two or three is very unusual,” said Toye.

The Sierra Club San Diego and Sierra Club Seal Society are now calling on San Diego Parks and Recreation Department to take immediate steps to protect newborn sea lion pups in La Jolla Cove and to ensure that the public are kept at safe distances.

New push to remove sea lions from La Jolla Cove

She believes the deaths are a result of the continued mistreatment and harassment of the pups born in La Jolla Cove and a lack of proper oversight and management of wildlife and people.

“We feel that the current situation is really not acceptable. We shouldn’t be doing what we would say is crowd control,” said Toye. “To me this points to the fact that there should be somebody with authority in this area to keep people safe.”

The Sierra Club Seal Society has recommended the following steps that could be taken immediately to provide better protection:

  • Cones and tape to be installed on the beach to create visible barrier, showing the public
    where to view from.

  • A-frame signs to be placed on the beach using signs that NOAA provided the city to educate the public about the vulnerability of pups, to prevent damaging behaviors and create empathy from the public.

  • Temporarily close the gate on one of the two the stairs to the beach when pups are close by or sea lions are on the stairs and during nighttime when lifeguards leave.

  • Rangers be present on the La Jolla Cove beach to educate and keep people at safe distances.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.