La Jolla’s Human vs. Sea Lion Battle – A View From San Francisco

Editordude: Check out this view from San Francisco media about the La Jolla battle between humans and sea  lions.

By Olivia Harden / SFGate / Aug 1, 2024

A coastal California community is at odds over one of its biggest tourist attractions as residents draw a line in the sand for what’s more important: allowing sea lions to thrive or keeping the beach accessible to humans.

Multiple community groups in San Diego are clashing with city officials over how to mitigate the thousands of tourists who flock to La Jolla Cove to see the sea lions and their pups on the rocky shore.

Environmentalists argue that the city’s failure to develop a more effective management plan has put the animals in danger, as several sea lion pups have died this summer potentially due to human interaction at La Jolla Cove.

The San Diego City Council voted last year to close the nearby Point La Jolla year-round to prevent contact between people and animals. In response to the ban, some La Jolla residents are worried that it creates a precedent that could lead to more closures.

“Sea lions — or I should say wildlife in general — and people don’t mix very well,” said Bob Evans, president of La Jolla Parks and Beaches. “I think it kind of brings us to, depending on how you want to label it, either a tourist management problem or a sea lion management problem.”

Robyn Davidoff, chair of the Sierra Club Seal Society, told SFGATE there are “thousands of tourists coming every day” for the sea lions. “They’re coming as tourists to get a wildlife Instagram photo, which is the problem. People get too close,” she said.

Davidoff said the Sierra Club Seal Society has lobbied city officials to develop a management plan for La Jolla Cove since November in preparation for the sea lions’ pupping season in June. But the city failed to come up with a plan.

She said that sea lion cows gave birth to nine pups at the cove this summer, but following the Fourth of July, several of them died, which Davidoff said is a direct result of human interaction. Only two of the pups survived.

“They want their photos, and everybody wants to pose next to these little babies,” Davidoff explained, describing tourist behavior. “People tell us that other people were petting [them]. That’s almost a death sentence because it changes the scent of the pup, and that’s how the moms identify them. If it doesn’t smell like her own, then she’ll abandon it, and it’ll certainly die.”

Following the baby sea lion deaths, the Sierra Club Seal Society requested an emergency plan that would entail closing one of the staircases, creating a barrier with cones and tape, and deploying rangers to enforce restrictions.

The San Diego City Council has faced pressure to protect the sea lions before. In September, it passed a measure closing Point La Jolla for seven years. In 2030, the city will discuss whether the beach should reopen and apply for a new coastal development permit.
La Jolla Cove is popular for more than its sea lions. Tripadvisor ranked it the fifth-best beach in the United States. Beachgoers come to enjoy not only the sea lions but also the cliff walk, snorkeling, surfing and picturesque weather. Evans said his organization, La Jolla Parks and Beaches, is concerned the city could close the beach at La Jolla Cove to the public.

“That’s not a good solution for the community,” he said. “What the cove beach is about, we want that preserved. We don’t want that closed off, like other beaches have been closed off to humans. That would be a travesty.”

Emily Lynch, a field representative for San Diego City Council member Joe LaCava, told the San Diego Union-Tribune in July that the city was in meetings to discuss the status of La Jolla Cove and would have additional information in August. The city council did not respond to multiple requests from SFGATE for clarification.

Sea lions are a protected species under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which prohibits the harassment, hunting, capture or killing of any marine mammal. Violators can face up to a year in prison and a civil fine of up to $34,457, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.