MONTEREY, Calif. - A colony of sea lions has taken over a popular beach and tourist destination in Monterey, prompting a public safety notice and the beach’s closure.

On Thursday, the city of Monterey posted a notice to alert the public that San Carlos Beach has been closed until further notice.

The beach is located at the west end of the historic Cannery Row and sits near Coast Guard Pier.

Photos from last week, shared by the city with KTVU, showed hundreds of sea lions packed like sardines along the beach.

The city said it acted proactively once they saw the sea lions' arrival and set up barricades to close off the beach.

City officials said Monterey’s park and recreation staff were monitoring the beach as well as nearby Sister City Park , along the recreational trail, to chec

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