Sea lions might look cute and cuddly, but adults are territorial like many other animals and attacks on humans do occur, though rarely.
Chris Okamoto, a freediver, discovered this while spearfishing near Santa Barbara, California. He filmed the encounter with the agressive sea lion using his GoPro camera and managed to scare it away with the butt of his speargun. The video can be viewed below.
Sea lions are classified as pinnipeds, meaning "winged foot" or "feathered foot." They can be distinguished from seals by their characteristic ear flaps, which seals lack. Sea lions can also rotate their hind flippers, providing greater mobility on land.
These animals live along the Pacific Ocean's coastlines and islands, and feed by using their sensitive whiskers to feel and locate prey.
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