Sea lions: not big Shakira fans

New just in from, er, a popstar's Facebook page: Shakira, holidaying in Cape Town, has has had a close shave with a sea lion.

On the site, she explains that "it looked me in the eye, roared in fury and tried to bite me". Shakira reckons the sea lion went for her because she was taking its photo, and it must have though her camera was a fish. Not so, say the experts.

"Wild sea lions wouldn't bother humans unless they felt threatened," explains Lisa Ayres, sea lion keeper at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo. "It's not advisable to approach them".

Bear that in mind, Londoners, as Whipsnade's five sea lions are currently on a holiday of their own – a city break at London Zoo while their quarters are being refurbished.