In a dramatic turn of events, a 15-year-old lifeguard hopeful was not expecting a sea lion to maul her on California’s beaches.
Watch the video down below.
Teen Phoebe Beltran fought for her life during what should have been a routine swim test in waters increasingly dominated by aggressive marine life.
The terrifying attack unfolded during a junior lifeguard tryout in Long Beach when the sea lion suddenly targeted Beltran as she swam just 25 feet offshore.
The teenager initially feared the worst as the marine mammal lunged at her in the water.
Lifeguards witnessed the attack and quickly responded to assist the injured girl, who suffered multiple bites to her arms and extremities.
“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 the harrowing experience.
The incident forced officials to cancel and reschedule the tryouts, disrupting the dreams of many young Americans.
The attack represents a disturbing pattern of wildlife behavior changes that experts claim is linked to climate change and toxic algae blooms.
Phoebe’s mother, Bibiana Beltran, witnessed the aftermath of the attack and was horrified by what she saw.
“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,” she told reporters, describing the traumatic scene that no parent should have to witness.
What is particularly troubling is how unprecedented this type of attack is. Long Beach Fire Department’s Gonzalo Medina admitted, “In my 25 years of service, I’ve never heard of something like this happen before.”
Justin Viezbicke, California Stranding Coordinator for the National Marine Fisheries Service, pointed to domoic acid poisoning from algae blooms as a potential cause of aggressive behavior in sea lions.
Despite the attack, Phoebe remarkably expressed concern for the sea lion that attacked her, believing it may have been sick.
She also plans to continue pursuing her dreams of joining the junior lifeguard program and aspires to work with marine life in the future.
For now, Phoebe is recovering at home with painkillers and antibiotics, determined to return to both school and the water soon.
