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Savage moment sea lion rips out a shark’s throat in flesh-tearing bloody attack in front of horrified beachgoers
A witness said the horror attack lasted more than three minutes
THIS is the brutal moment a sea lion mauled a shark in front of stunned beachgoers.
The blubbery beast was caught on camera ripping out the blue shark's throat in the water at Monterey Bay, California.
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Shocking footage shows the sea lion flinging the shark out of the water.
It then tore out the beast's throat in an instant as they thrashed on the water's surface.
The epic moment was captured by Lori Hespe, who was on a whale-watching tour.
She told : "I have never seen anything like this before in my life. I was absolutely shocked and astounded.
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"The attack carried on for approximately three minutes in total before it came to its brutal end.
"Sea lions are opportunistic feeders which means they go for easy meals. That can include squid, herring and even small sharks.
"A Steller sea lion bull can grow to 11 feet long and their weight can range up to 2500lbs in preparation for breeding.
"They are typically much larger than females and possess a raised forehead called the sagittal crest that creates a high peak crown.
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"Most adult blue sharks measure up to seven feet and weigh nearly 454lbs so this sea lion would have had a big strength advantage."
It comes after a woman was left fighting for her life after she was bitten on the head by a shark in a savage attack.
The 32-year-old suffered "extremely serious head injuries" and was rushed to hospital after being rescued from the sea off Adelaide, Australia.
She was understood to be diving at a reef when she was attacked by the shark.
Dramatic footage showed beachgoers and paramedics scrambling on the beach after the vicious mauling, near the Port Noarlunga Jetty.
Bystanders could be seen holding up plastic sheets as they helped protect the woman's privacy as she lay stricken in pain.
Just a week earlier, a 55-year-old South Australian surfer named by a great white at a beach near Streaky Bay.
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