- Federal wildlife officials have launched an investigation after a viral video appeared to show a man repeatedly kicking a protected sea lion at California's La Jolla Cove.
- The footage shows the sea lion trying to escape while the man appears to chase it, kicking at the animal as another person can be heard laughing in the background.
- The suspect has not been publicly identified, but NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement confirmed it is investigating the incident and says it cannot comment further while the case is ongoing.
- California sea lions are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which prohibits harassing the animals and requires people to keep a safe distance.
- San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria condemned the footage as a "disgusting act of animal cruelty" and directed local authorities to review the video as outrage spread online.
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