This article originally appeared on The Inertia.
Sea lions and seals may come off as cuddly sea dogs, but don’t let appearances fool you. When they’re angry, they’re a force to be reckoned with. And they do get angry.
Well-known New Zealand surf photographer Rambo Estrada found that out firsthand recently. While shooting a handful of local rippers, the Mt. Maunganui–based Estrada witnessed a surfer being accosted by one very pissed-off pinniped. Damon “Crackers” Cracknell, who Estrada describes as a Southland local core lord, was chased from the water by the lion. He even used his board to fend it off at one point.
“This angry sea lion chased Crackers out of the lineup,” explained Estrada in the caption to his Instagram post depicting the dustup. “I was shooting with my 400mm from the dunes and then it came right up the beach and chased us back to the car park. Gotta love the wildlife down here.”
The video can be viewed in the Instagram post below, along with two still shots, all taken by Estrada.
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