People holidaying in St Ives, Cornwall, are being warned against getting too close to a group of seals that swim around the harbour.
About five seals that regularly visit the area and come up close to the beach are proving a big attraction to tourists – but harbourmaster Steve Bassett is warning people they can be dangerous.
He has put up signs asking people not to feed or swim with them.
He told the BBC: "I’m afraid that some day someone will lose an arm.
"If seals are both going for territory they can be extremely aggressive. One day a seal is going to feel trapped and bite back.
"They also have an infectious bite too – people who deal with them need special antibiotics."
Seal expert Gill Bell from the Marine Conservation Society said: "They are very gorgeous to look at and that’s what we should be doing, looking at them and not getting close to them."
