While I dislike moral relativism of any sort, reading about this brutal behavior by a bellicose bull sea lion in Berkeley reminded me that neutering pit bulls (discussed earlier) will not solve the problem of animal violence:

Authorities are looking for ways to deter an aggressive sea lion that attacked three people at the Berkeley Marina this week.

The sea lion has been known to take fish from docks, but has become increasingly bold in recent weeks, said Jim Smith, owner of the California Dawn charter fishing boat that operates out of the marina. On Wednesday, Smith said, it attacked three people, including a woman who received a bite wound on her leg.

"It's been a nuisance for the last two years, but it's been getting worse lately," said Smith, who described the sea lion as a 1,500-pound bull.

Smith said the sea lion jumped onto the harbor dock, bit his crew member Twani Houston on the ankle and tried to drag her into the water. A second crew member grabbed Houston by the arm, Smith said.

"They got in a virtual tug-of-war," Smith said.

On Thursday, workers from the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito were unsuccessful in their attempt to capture the sea lion. The center was hoping to relocate it.

"By hitting it in the face with a steady stream of water, we're hoping to discourage its behavior," he said. "Hopefully, it will leave the area, and we can resolve this problem without having to resort to a more egregious action."

Smith said the harbormaster prohibited fishermen from spraying the sea lion last month.

The spraying of the animal is normally considered harassment under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, but the attacks have necessitated the tactic, Simons said.

While their balls might not swing as visibly as the balls of pit bull, sea lions definitely have them:

. . .the testicles are relatively small in relation to body size and are located just beneath the skin in the ventral pelvic region. Here the penis is still covered with a protective layer of skin called the PREPEUTIAL FOLD.

Why the double standard? Where are the anti-testosterone Berkeley ball-busters when we need them?

I blame speciesism!