Sea lions caught on camera overtaking popular California beach in droves, closing it to public ‘indefinitely’

Sea lions have overtaken one California beach with no signs of slowing down.

San Carlos Beach in Monterey has faced such an influx of the marine mammals it has been closed to the public indefinitely.

“City Parks Division staff have been working closely with staff from the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary to monitor the situation,” City of Monterey communications manager Laurie Huelga said in an email to Fox News Digital. “They tell us this is normal behavior.”

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According to the city located on the state’s central coast, the sea lions arrive in droves every August, but traditionally they congregate around Fisherman’s Wharf instead of San Carlos Beach.

The sea lions are visiting from the Channel Islands off the coast of Santa Barbara, where the mammals recently had their pupping season. 

The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary told the city the sea lions are “following the food,” and there are more fish to be had where the water is cooler inshore. 

“Once the sea lions have time to rest and eat here, they will return to the Channel Islands. Most are males, but a few are females,” Huelga said. “The pups are still in the Channel Islands area.

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“We will reopen the beach when they leave,” Huelga added. “They have been here over two weeks, and they usually stay about a month total.”

In a video posted on its Instagram, the city jokingly said, “We’ve received questions on when San Carlos Beach will reopen, and we reached out to the sea lions for a response.”

The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.