A surfer named Rj LaMendola experienced a terrifying encounter with an aggressive sea lion at Oxnard State Beach, which he suspects may have been infected by a toxic algae now threatening California's coastal waters. During the attack, the sea lion displayed unusual ferocity, resulting in a desperate struggle where LaMendola used his surfboard as a shield. Eventually, the animal bit his left buttock, prompting LaMendola to fear for his life until he was able to escape and seek medical attention afterward. This incident raises awareness of the dangers posed by marine wildlife possibly affected by environmental changes.
"Its mouth gaped wide, teeth flashing, and its eyes locked onto me with an unsettling ferocity," LaMendola wrote.
"This was something else entirely - something wrong," he wrote.
"I don't know how to describe the fear that gripped me in that moment," LaMendola wrote.
"...its expression was feral, almost demonic, devoid of the curiosity or playfulness I'd always associated with sea lions."
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