A man who shot video of a sea lion dragging a little girl into the water at a Vancouver-area wharf says he was shocked by the terrifying scene and didn't know how to react.
Michael Fujiwara was at the Steveston Wharf in Richmond, B-C, on Saturday when the sea lion lunged up, grabbed the girl's dress and pulled her down into the water.
The 23-year-old Fujiwara was filming the animal on his cellphone at the time, and the footage shows a man immediately leaping into the water, scooping up the child and hauling her to safety.
Fujiwara says he helped pull the pair back up onto the dock, and the visibly shaken family immediately left the area.
Bob Baziuk general manager of the Steveston Harbour Authority, says the incident was unfortunate and watching the video made his stomach turn, but it shows why people should never feed wild animals.
He says California sea lions often visit the area on their migratory cycle, hoping for handouts from fisherman, but signs are posted warning people not to feed the animals.