Crowds of tourists and local visitors continued to swim and to hike down to the beach at La Jolla Cove, this Memorial Day weekend. That prompted the City of San Diego to increase efforts protecting sea lions and their newborn pups during the start of the annual pupping season. “There are ab out 50 of them on the beach and a couple dozen on the rocks,” said Paul Emus, a volunteer photographer with the Sierra Club. He has been documenting the growing sea lion population with photographs and drone footage. “I came down here one time at 4 in the morning, and there were some people smoking and playing with a little pup,” Emus said. “I told them I’m going to call the cops.” Under the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act, it is illegal to harass, touch, feed or pursue sea lions. Violations can result in fines of more than $30,000 and up to a year in prison. The sounds of barking, growling and roaring now echo across the shoreline as hundreds of sea lions gather along the rocks and sand to give birth and care for their young. Wildlife advocates say the loud noises help mothers and pups find each other in the crowded colony. This sea lion pup was born Saturday on the rocks near La Jolla Cove, May 23, 2026. The pups can quickly become vulnerable when visitors ignore warnings and get too close. “Most of the tourists don’t pay attention to any warnings and just walk on by,” Emus said. “It’s good to have a higher visability.” Last week, city park rangers installed larger and more visible warning signs around the cove in an effort to keep visitors a safe distance away from the animals. The Parks and Recreation Department is also using social media to remind visitors to stay at least 20 feet from the sea lions and avoid entering crowded areas where the mammals are resting. This is one of two new large signs installed at La Jolla Cove reminding visitors about federal law protecting sea lions, La Jolla, Calif., May 24, 2026. Tourists visiting San Diego said the new signs serve as an important reminder to respect wildlife while enjoying the rare opportunity to see sea lions in their natural habitat. “I’ve seen them in a zoo before,” said Jill Scott of Milton, Georgia. “This is my first time seeing them in the wild. The interactions are pretty amazing.” She, her husband and their two teenaged children are vacationing in San Diego. Her son, Evan Scott, said visitors should appreciate the animals from a safe distance. “You’re able to see them in their own natural environment doing their own thing,” he said. “To observe them without harming them.” His sister, Diana Scott, added that many visitors are tempted to get too close for photos. “People are just so amazed to see these sea lions they really want to get close and personal,” she said. “But sea lions don’t appreciate that.” The pupping season continues through late summer. ...read more read less