A five-year-old boy is recovering after a sea lion that washed up on a San Diego beach bit him in the face . The boy was with his family at La Jolla Cove when he tried to pet the sea lion on Sunday . The animal , which was probably starving , 'snapped back its neck and lunged ' at the boy . Scroll down for video . A five-year-old California boy suffered a 'minor puncture ' when a Sea Lion bit him in the face in San Diego . The boy was with his family at La Jolla Cove ( pictured ) when he tried to pet the sea lion on Sunday . At least two sea lion attacks have been reported in the last three months , Fox 5 reported . The San Diego Fire and Rescue Department says the boy suffered a 'minor puncture ' to his jaw . His family took him to a local hospital for examination . The incident was reported to the National Marine Fisheries Service , the LA Times reported . There have been a record number of sea lions washing up on Southern California beaches in 2015 . Nearly 2,000 of the animals have washed up on the state 's shores in sick and starving conditions so far this year . Last week , the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA ) sounded the alarm over the surge in famished pups , saying there has been 'an unusually large increase ' in sea lion strandings . In January and February , strandings were 20 times the average rate for those two months . Experts believe warming sea temperatures might be responsible for the enormous rise in strandings because the availability of fish and other sea lion food sources has been affected . Beachgoers are advised to stay away from mammals , some of which are emaciated and distressed .
Boy was with his family at La Jolla Cove on Sunday when he was bitten . He suffered a 'minor puncture ' to his jaw and went to the hospital . Record number of sea lions washing up on Southern California beaches . People are advised to stay away from 'emaciated and distressed ' mammals .