Sick sea lions, dolphins overwhelming Southern California rescue organization

Photo: A sick sea lion, possibly suffering from domoic acid toxicity, is seen resting on a California beach in June 2023. (Channel Islands Marine Wildlife Institute)

Sickened marine mammals poisoned by an algal bloom in Southern California waters are overwhelming a local rescue organization.

Channel Islands Marine & Wildlife Institute responds to beached sea lions and other sick mammals, evaluates their condition and, if needed, attempts to nurse the animals back to health.

But a recent algal bloom off the coast of Southern California is leading to more and more marine mammals getting sickened by a type of poison that is growing ever more prevalent: domoic acid toxicity.

Known colloquially as the “Red Tide,” domoic acid is a naturally occuring neurotoxin that is produced by blooming algae in California waters. The blooms tend to happen more regularly in spring and autumn when nutrients from the deep are brought to the surface and exposed to sunlight.

A sick sea lion, possibly suffering from domoic acid toxicity, is seen resting on a California beach in June 2023. (Channel Islands Marine Wildlife Institute) Fish and other animals low on the food chain eat the toxic algae without much issue, but marine mammals and birds that eat those animals aren’t so lucky.

Through a process called “biomagnification,” seals, sea lions and other predators ingest large amounts of the poison […]

Full article: ktla.com