Phoebe Beltran sustained several cuts on her right arm and had to be hospitalized after she was attacked by a sea lion in Long Beach.

A 15-year-old girl was attacked during her swim test in Long Beach by a sea lion sickened by a recent toxic algae bloom, according to the girl's family.

Experts say frightening encounters with sea lions are becoming more common and the likely reason for recent attacks is a toxic algae bloom poisoning the marine mammals, leading to rare acts of aggression as they move to shallow waters and in closer proximity to beachgoers.

A teenager was attacked by a sea lion in Long Beach while she was trying out to become a junior guard cadet. 15-year-old Phoebe Beltran has several cuts on her right arm and was hospitalized following the confrontation with the animal on Sunday.

The Marine Mammal Care Center has been working to save sick sea lions in Southern California, including one on the shore of a beach. Despite the swift response time from authorities, the survival rate for the California sea lion is roughly 50%,

A California teen is recovering after she was attacked by a sea lion. The 15-year-old was training to become a junior lifeguard in Long Beach at the time. Phoebe Beltran said she received multiple injuries from the sea lion,

"All I'm thinking is, 'Please, don't be a shark. Please, don't take off my arm, and please, don't kill me,'" Phoebe Beltran said.

A 15-year-old girl was swimming in the water off Long Beach, California during tryouts for a junior lifeguard program when she was attacked by a sea lion, officials said.