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Tourists visiting San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf are being warned that they must respect the region's sea lions.

Many thousands of tourists visit the area every year in order to benefit from the fantastic views of San Francisco Bay.

Another star attraction are the dozens of sea lions which sit by the edge of the water, just metres from people going about their normal day.

However, despite the sea lions' cute exterior, tourists are being warned that they must not treat the animals like cuddly toys, or they may end up getting hurt.

'People should understand these animals are out there not to attack people or humans. But they're out there to survive for themselves,' Jim Oswald, a spokesman for the Marine Mammal Centre across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco told the Bradenton Herald.

The warning comes on the back of a number of isolated incidents in which the sea lions have bitten people who got too close.

Animal experts have described the attacks as abnormal and maintain that sea lions are friendly creatures, unless they feel threatened or are cornered.

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