Sea Lion beat-down on a Leopard Shark

I was paddling on Elkhorn Slough yesterday and saw a sea lion attacking a 3 foot leopard shark. It had it by the tail, and was slapping it on the water like a rag doll. Sea gulls were all around, and the sea lion would slap the shark and then stare at the seagulls. It did the same to us, so we kept our distance. This went on for nearly an hour. The shark was obviously dead, and the sea lion seemed to be playing with it. Anybody else ever observe this kind of behavior?

I've seen'em do it to salmon off of Martinez, ultimately tearing out chunks and swallowing them, then I saw one do it to a large LMB in the delta and leave it behind,  Though I've never seen one do it for more than a couple of minutes, did it ever eat any of it.   Maybe it was just bored, ever watch a cat play with a mouse til it died and then just walk away.....

Still quite a sight

I've seen 'em tearin' up halibut at Paradise. 

Saw one do the same thing to a large catfish near Tiki Lagun.  It ture off big chunks then left the head.  Gull frenzy!

Alshobie and I watched the same thing off new brighton a few weeks ago, fun to watch

Stoggie

Seen the behavior many times.

Catfish, stripers, but the most disturbing was salmon being left behind after having their bellies ripped off.  More than once I have seen single sea lion tear into numerous salmon.  It is part of nature, but it is hard getting use to seeing so many salmon dying at one time before the killing stops.

"No matter how many sea lions are eaten by sharks each year, it seems like it's never enough." --Strange Wilderness 

Don't you love how they built a 2.2 million dollar dock for those fuggers at Moss?