Sea lions spread onto roadway as advocates urge visitors to keep back
By Jacquelyn Quinones
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MOSS LANDING, California (KSBW) — For more than a month, large numbers of sea lions have been gathering in Moss Landing, spreading from the embankment beneath the bridge onto the pedestrian path and even the roadway, slowing traffic in the area.
The unusual sight has drawn dozens of people to Moss Landing, but the Marine Mammal Center says the growing crowds are creating safety concerns for both the sea lions and the public.
“One of the big things that our team here at the Marine Mammal Center has been doing is public outreach,” said Gincarlo Rulli, with the Marine Mammal Center. “We’ve been working with Public Works, we’ve contacted NOAA, we’ve had communications with the CHP, especially given that there is a public danger both for the animals’ safety but as well as people that are utilizing that bridge.”
The center explained that the sea lions are coming to the area to forage and urged the public to keep their distance and avoid the area if possible.
“We had an instance over the weekend where an animal that was entangled in the area was flushed back down the side of the hill adjacent to the bridge because people were getting too close to it,” Rulli said. “It actually prevented our team’s ability to respond.”
Visitors to Moss Landing shared their thoughts on the unusual sight.
“The interaction that are remarkable…some seem so aggressive, some seem absolutely convivial…it’s just an amazing situation for us to see,” one visitor said.
Others emphasized the importance of keeping a safe distance.
“It’s important for us to realize that they are still wild animals, so they can be aggressive and they can turn on us at any time, and so if you keep your distance, you are safe and you are still able to view what is happening right in front of you,” another visitor said.
“They are wild animals, and you don’t know what to expect, and you don’t know what they’re thinking and what they’re going to do,” a third visitor said. “You just have to respect their distance.”
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