RED IN TOOTH AND CLAW:

Robert Kiesman, chair of the Steveston Harbour Authority, lambasted the girl's family for reckless behavior, telling the CBC News that signs posted at the popular tourist destination warn people not to feed the sea mammals that frequent the area.

"You wouldn't go up to a grizzly bear in the bush and hand him a ham sandwich, so you shouldn't be handing a thousand-pound wild mammal in the water slices of bread," Kiesman said.

"And you certainly shouldn't be letting your little girl sit on the edge of the dock with her dress hanging down after the sea lion has already snapped at her once. Just totally reckless behavior."

Danielle Hyson, a senior marine-mammal trainer at the Vancouver Aquarium, explained to The Vancouver Sun that the animal forewarned of his aggressive behavior.

"You saw him kind of initially lunge out of the water and give a little huff. That's what we would call an aggressive precursor," she told The Sun. "So he's letting the people know that he's starting to get frustrated. And in that situation, the people should have backed off right away."

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