"Rogue Sea Lions"

Today on cnn.com: "In the most frightening of the recent episodes, a rogue sea lion bit 14 swimmers this month and chased 10 more out of the water at San Francisco's Aquatic Park, a sheltered lagoon near the bay. At least one victim suffered puncture wounds.
Some scientists speculate that the animals' aggressive behavior is being caused by eating fish contaminated by toxic algae, or by a shortage of food off the coast. But wildlife experts say even healthy sea lions are best left alone.
In Southern California in June, a sea lion charged several people on Manhattan Beach and bit a man before waddling into the water and swimming away. In Berkeley, a woman was hospitalized last spring after a sea lion took a chunk out of her leg.
Last year, a group of sea lions took over a Newport Beach marina and caused a vintage 50-foot yacht to capsize when they boarded it. And a lifeguard in Santa Barbara was bitten three times while swimming off El Capitan State Beach.
In Alaska, a huge sea lion jumped onto a fisherman's boat in 2004, knocked him overboard and pulled him underwater; he escaped without serious injury."

Ironically I just got back from rowing where I was pestering a huge sea lion lounging on a buoy! I would row closer and closer and he would sit up and sniff at me, indolently swaying towards the side as if planning his escape route if I got too close. Then with the agility of an Olympic diver, but with the figure of a sumo wrestler, he slipped into the water with nary a splash. I did that two or three times during my assigned fifteen kilometers, then came home and read that article. Guess I'll keep a little more distance : ).

Your Most Devoted, Sarah