Hundreds of sea lions flood popular beach, forcing shutdown, California city says

A sea lion colony flooding a popular California beach has caused a shutdown, the city said.

On Aug. 21, the city of Monterey decided to shut down public access to San Carlos Beach after hundreds of sea lions occupied the shoreline, according to a Facebook post by the city.

Officials also closed access to Sister City Park, which is located near Fisherman’s Wharf, the city said.

The city didn’t specify when access to the beach would be restored.

Sea lions live in coastal waters and are known to be “playful, intelligent and very vocal,” as they are even compared to barking dogs, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

They mainly feed on squid, anchovies and sardines and use their barking as a means of communicating with one another, with mama sea lions even able to identify their pup amongst hundreds of others, the NOAA said.

Although the city encourages residents to watch the sea lions, they are asked to remain at least 50 yards away as the sea lions are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and anyone who attempts to capture or feed them will be fined, officials said.

Monterey is about a 120-mile drive southeast from San Francisco.

This story was originally published August 26, 2025 at 2:32 PM with the headline "Hundreds of sea lions flood popular beach, forcing shutdown, California city says."