Beachgoers enjoying a swim off the coast were forced to flee the water after a seemingly adorable seal turned aggressive, lunging at swimmers and attempting to bite them. The incident, captured on video and shared on social media, shows the seal approaching a woman who exclaimed 'aww, cutie' before it suddenly turned and lunged at a man in the shallows with its mouth open.
The seal then raced towards several other people, prompting screams and shouts from those on the shore to 'get out of the water'. One woman, seemingly unaware of the danger, was seen with her back to the sea as the seal approached and began biting her. Passers-by yelled warnings, and she turned in shock as the animal attacked.
The RSPCA has issued advice on dealing with wild seals, stating: 'Wild seals are an amazing sight to see, but it’s really important to leave them alone and not get too close. Disturbing seals when they’re on beaches can mean they can’t sleep or digest their food properly, or mothers and pups could be separated from each other. It’s also dangerous for people or dogs to get too close to them, as seals have a painful bite.'
Social media users had mixed reactions to the video. One commented, 'Gosh all that screaming and shouting. It’s their home for heaven's sake,' while another joked, 'Seal said GTFO my house!' A third user warned, 'Getting bit by a sea lion is cross between a pitbull, German shepherd, and rottweiler. They can do some major damage.' Others found the situation humorous, with one person admitting, 'Call me a chew toy because I couldn’t resist the cuteness.'
