The general manager of the Vancouver-area harbour where a young girl was shown on video being pulled into the water by a sea lion says the family disobeyed numerous signs warning people not to feed the animals.
Bob Baziuk of the Steveston Harbour Authority told The Canadian Press the video demonstrates just how dangerous it can be.
The family was throwing bread to a large sea lion, which lunged at the girl, grabbed her dress and pulled her into the water.
A man immediately jumped in to save her.