Mayor Bob Filner issued an emergency order to close the Children’s Pool in La Jolla between sunset and sunrise, beginning tonight, in response to alleged abuse of harbor seals captured on videotape.
Children’s Pool in La Jolla (Photo courtesy of friendsofthechildrenspool.com)
The nighttime closure will remain in effect until the official end of seal pupping season on May 15, Filner said.
According to the mayor’s office, the recently installed seal cam captured images of people breaching a rope barrier at night, kicking, punching and sitting on top of the mother seals and their pups, and driving them from their resting places.
The rope barrier is meant to discourage people from going onto the beach to disturb seals during pupping season.
“I felt it was important to take this step after evidence of individuals seen on videotape, harassing, taunting and causing stress to the seals at the Children’s Pool in La Jolla,” Filner said. “The behavior was shocking, reprehensible and certainly not a reflection of how most citizens in our fine city believe animals should be treated.”
Harbor seals took over the beach in the early 1990s, causing strife between animal rights activists and beach-access advocates who want the area returned to its original use as a safe swimming area for children.
“It’s great that the new mayor is being proactive and at least closing the seal rookery at night, when the seals are without any protection, and the rope is not really visible,” said Bryan Pease, a lawyer who represents the Animal Protection and Rescue League.
“This is important for public safety and for protection of the resting marine mammals during their pupping season,” Pease said.
Animal rights groups have frequently claimed videotaped documentation of people annoying the seals on the beach.
The seal cam was recently placed on a lifeguard tower that’s slated for demolition. Its images are frequently broadcast on CityTV, the city of San Diego’s cable outlet.
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I am sickened we have people of ANY AGE doing things like this to innocent animals who cannot defend themselves. Does it make you feel big and strong to hurt seals you sorry excuse for human beings? First sign of a long term criminal is hurting innocent animals.
I hope the Mayor and the City catch some of these people with the video they do have and any future sightings. Charge them and jail them to the fullest extent of the law.
I would like to see them trying to do the very same thing to a tiger sick bastards