Viral video of human encounter with seal sparks concern
Monkey see, monkey do. It’s a video that seems harmless enough. KION showed it to people who enjoy watching nature on the peninsula, and they got a kick out it.
The video posted on Twitter Tuesday, shows a man jumping, and a seal jumping in response. It attracted thousands of views, including the attention of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. They chimed in to say while it may look cute, “this isn’t a great situation for the seal,” and, “there isn’t in fact a ‘safe distance’ in the law.”
Scott Kathey works right next to the water at the Monterey Bay, National Marine Sanctuary. He sees people playing seals all day long. But, after awhile, “I call this, death by a thousand cuts. It’s cumulative impact of person after person coming throughout the day, disturbing these animals over and over again from eating and sleeping. They get weak, they get sick, and they die. And that’s the part that people don’t see!”
Kathey says most people, aren’t trying to harm the animal in any way, they just need a little education. It doesn’t matter if you’re 6 feet away, or 100- if you’re close enough to make them move it’s against the law.
