Sea Lion Invasion

It’s not unusual to see a sea lion or two in the Ventura Harbor but recently as many as 20 have made it a more permanent home.They are hanging out on the docks at the Channel Islands Park Service.The docks are the first ones inside the harbor and appear to be close to an ample supply of sea lion loving seafood.But sea world it is not.Park Service Public Information Officer Yvonne Menard says they pose a danger to the dock and to people.The docks are sinking under their weight.The males weigh more than 800 pounds the females a third of that.And they don’t just bark, they bite.Menard says they are wild animals and people need to remember that.The Park Service has contacted NOAA to find out what they can do without harassing them.That would be prohibited under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.In the meantime visitors are thrilled by the view of them sleeping, and swimming.Sometimes they look like synchronized swimmers, but experts say they are actually cooling themselves with their pinniped fins in the air.