Sea lion-kicking young man discovers the Marine Mammal Protection Act
Tyler Muehl pleaded guilty to a federal misdemeanor after kicking a resting sea lion at La Jolla Cove and invoking a UFC star's name.
MMA loses to the MMPA.
The gentleman in question was most assuredly NOT Max Holloway. Tyler Muehl approached a resting California sea lion at La Jolla Cove, assumed a fighting stance, invoked the UFC star's name, and started kicking. The sea lion tried to flee. Muehl chased it. He has now pleaded guilty to a federal misdemeanor violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
This reminder from a NOAA official should not be necessary:
"Intentionally striking or kicking a marine mammal is not only illegal — it is dangerous for the well-being of the animal," said Eric Morgan, an official with the NOAA-Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement West Coast Division, which investigated the case.
I guess it is no surprise that humanity still can not share the coastline with wildlife. Sea lions were likely using that cove long before Western culture sailed up the coast and started screwing things up.
The maximum penalty is one year in prison and a $100,000 fine. The sea lion remains repeatedly kicked in the face, so go for the max?
And why would you want to kick a sea lion anyway? Unless it attacked you-which is highly unlikely unless you disturbed it-there is no reason to be that close too one.
I vote for the max sentence