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They're cute, and they seem almost downright cuddly, but sea lions can be vicious. An elderly couple out for a swim off Venice Beach Thursday evening found themselves the victims of an attack by a sea lion, reports KTLA.
The female victim was bit on her leg, and her husband was bit on his hands, feet, and head when he came over to help his wife. Both victims are said to be in their 60s. They were treated at and released from an area hospital, and were administered antibiotics to ward off potential infections.
Area lifeguards say that sea lion attacks in local waters are uncommon.
However, elsewhere in the state in recent years, authorities have cautioned the public about the potential danger of sea lion attacks, including following a rash of bitings in San Francisco in 2006. Other sea lion attacks in open water and at zoos have taken place in the past few years in Australia and New Zealand.
