December
22, 2018 by Miguel Sanchez
Chilean
fishermen have branded sea lions "a plague" because of the
competition they provide in catching fish
Off the
coast of Chile, fisherman face competition from a cunning carnivorous hunter
that has decimated their industry due to its voracious appetite.
For
Chile's fishermen, sea lions are a "plague."
"They're
an enemy!" complained Mario Rojas to AFP. "We try to make them go
away but it's impossible!"
Part of
the wider seal family that was once hunted mercilessly all over the world,
leaving some populations close to extinction, the South American sea lion in
Chile has been protected for the last 28 years.
Hunting
them for their richly prized fur is illegal.
Liberated
from their most dangerous predator—they are still prey for sharks and orcas—the
sea mammal's population has been on the rise, helped in no small part by the
abundant fodder they manage to steal from fisherman.
They have
learnt to distinguish the sound of the fishing boats' motors, allowing them to
follow the vessels as they head out to sea.
"The
sea lions don't hunt anymore. They hear the noise of a boat and they know that
the food is there," said Rojas.
With
their sharp teeth and the enormous power in bodies that can weigh around 650
pounds (300 kilograms), they manage to destroy the fishing nets and gobble up
the treats inside.
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