Man caught on video harassing sea lions at Sister City Park in Monterey

MONTEREY, California – Sea lions have once again flocked to Monterey Beach, this time at Sister City Park.

“They should rename Sister City Park to Seal City Park whenever this happens,” said one viewer.

And it was here that a video of a man disturbing the animals was captured and posted on social media.

The man in the blue shirt appears to apply yellow tape, scaring the sea lions that fall onto the rocks.

VIDEO: Hundreds of sea lions invade popular Monterey beach, forcing it closer to humans

“I’m not going to say what I want to say,” said Marge Brigadier.

Marge is a volunteer who comes here every day to answer questions about wildlife. She says people often harass animals.

“Often, whether divers or kayakers? That’s mainly what I see,” said Brigadeiro.

A spokesperson for the Marine Mammal Center emphasizes that it is a statewide problem. This map shows the hot spots that stretch along the coast.

“At least in the number of disturbances as a whole,” said Adam Ratner of the Marine Mammal Center. “It incorporates a wide spectrum of people who are just attracting those people who may be trying to help the animal but not engaging in the correct behavior. This is a number that we have seen grow over the years.”

MORE: You may be unintentionally harming young marine mammals, rescue center says

But he calls it-

“This is obviously an extremely serious case of harassment,” Ratner said.

The video was reported to the government agency. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says it has reached out to the Monterey Police Department to see if anyone can identify the man if no one can. NOAA says there will likely be no further action and that enforcement is rare.

“I trust their judgment given what’s on the agenda and how they need to be able to prioritize resources,” Ratner said.

If you see someone harming or harassing marine wildlife, you can report them to NOAA’s Office of Enforcement Hotline at 808-153-1964.