A 15-year-old girl’s dream of becoming a lifeguard turned into a nightmare when a sea lion attacked her during tryouts at a California beach.
The attack has raised serious concerns about public safety along America’s shorelines.
Phoebe Beltran was participating in junior lifeguard cadet tryouts in Long Beach, California. A sea lion suddenly attacked her during a 1,000-yard swim test about 25 feet from shore.
The terrified teenager initially thought she had encountered an even more dangerous predator.
“At first, I just assumed the worst, like a shark. I’m getting attacked, it has to be a shark. And then I’m like, ‘Please, don’t bite my arm off. Please don’t kill me. Please don’t let me regret trying out,'” Phoebe recounted after the incident.
Lifeguards who witnessed the attack immediately came to her rescue. They assisted Phoebe back to shore, where her mother Bibiana Beltran was waiting.
“When she was close enough, we noticed her arm was bloody. As a mother, you freak out because you don’t anticipate it being your child,” Bibiana told reporters.
Phoebe suffered bites to her arms and extremities but fortunately did not require advanced medical treatment.
She is now recovering at home, taking painkillers and antibiotics for her injuries, and hopes to return to school soon.
“In my 25 years of service, I’ve never heard of something like this happen before,” said Gonzalo Medina of the Long Beach Fire Department, underscoring just how unusual this attack was.
What makes this incident particularly concerning is the potential connection to environmental changes.
Experts suggest that climate change and toxic algae blooms are causing sea lions to become more agitated and potentially aggressive.
Justin Viezbicke, the California Stranding Coordinator for National Marine Fisheries Service, explained that bites are rare.
However, she added that poisoning from these algae blooms may alter sea lions’ behavior, making them potentially dangerous to beachgoers.
This information comes as Southern California has seen an increase in sea lions sickened by toxic algae.
“Certainly a side effect of the acid is potentially aggressive behavior, but there’s no way to tell,” noted Gonzalo Medina, highlighting the unpredictable nature of these encounters.
Despite her frightening experience, Phoebe has shown remarkable resilience.
She plans to continue pursuing her junior lifeguard program and aspires to a career working with marine life.
The tryouts were canceled and rescheduled following the attack, but Phoebe remains determined to return to the water and complete her qualification.
She even expressed concern for the sea lion, believing it may have been sick. “I’ve been stung by a sting ray, pinched by crabs, bitten by tiny fish,” Beltran said. “But a sea lion?” she said.
