Man’s vile act against innocent sea lion leaves California beachgoers horrified

A California man was arrested for a despicable act of cruelty against a sick sea lion on the beach.

Christopher Hurtado, 31, was taken into custody Tuesday morning after police in Ventura saw surveillance footage showing him heartlessly beating the sea lion with a stick.

The alleged attack occurred along the Ventura Beach Promenade, where officers pursued Hurtado on foot as he attempted to flee the scene, according to a news release.

Hurtado beat the beached mammal numerous times with a large stick, according to police.

When police caught up to Hurtado, they discovered he had methamphetamine on him.

He was booked into the Ventura County Jail on $20,000 bail and charged with animal cruelty and possession of a controlled substance, both felonies.

His first court date is scheduled for Thursday.

Since sea lions are a protected species under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, Hurtado is also facing possible charges from federal prosecutors.

At the time of the incident, the sea lion was suffering from domoic acid poisoning, a naturally occurring toxin in algae that can be deadly for marine mammals.

California State Parks officers responded to the scene to aid the sea lion and also notified the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

The Channel Island Marine & Wildlife Institute was also there to monitor the animal’s condition.

‘At arrival, she was responsive yet appeared to have clinical signs of domoic acid toxicosis. Our medical team determined the best course of action was to not induce further stress today,’ officials with the institute said.

‘She is under observation and resting comfortably at this time. [Wednesday], we will conduct a complete physical exam with diagnostic testing.’

The toxin naturally exits the animal’s body but repeated exposure to it may necessitate medical intervention.

Officials said to leave sick sea animals alone.

‘It is crucial not to touch, move, feed, or harass any marine mammals. Your cooperation can prevent dangerous encounters for both people and wildlife,’ the police department said.

Assistant Director Greg Busch with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration‘s (NOAA) Office of Law Enforcement said he’d be pursuing an investigation into what happened.

‘It is a crime under the Marine Mammal Protection Act to intentionally harass or injure sea lions. We are grateful for the quick response by the Ventura Police Department and look forward to working with them and California State Parks on this investigation,’ said Busch, who heads the West Coast division of the agency’s law enforcement arm.

NOAA’s office of law enforcement will be assisting with the investigation at the federal level.

This article by James Cirrone was first published by The Daily Mail on 5 March 2025. Lead Image: Hurtado allegedly beat a sick sea lion (not pictured) multiple times with a large stick, the Ventura Police Department said.

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