Toxic algae sickening marine life along SoCal coast
Ray Lopez Braindead Killfile the Pest
Toxic algae sickening marine life along SoCal coast
SAN DIEGO – A toxic form of algae has sickened and killed marine wildlife
along a 200-mile stretch of the Southern California coast.
Dozens of sea lions, many of them disoriented or suffering from seizures,
have stranded themselves in recent weeks along beaches from San Diego
County to Santa Barbara County. In addition, hundreds of pelicans,
grebes, gulls, cormorants and other sea birds have turned up dead or
dying.
Rescues at the shoreline
SeaWorld rescues marine mammals that have beached themselves, including
those harmed by toxic algae. For details, go to
uniontrib.com/more/rescues.
All the animals appeared to be suffering from domoic acid poisoning. The
potent neurotoxin, which affects the brain, is produced by microscopic
algae called Pseudo-nitzschia that occur naturally in the ocean.
The poisoning takes place when birds and marine mammals eat small fish,
such as sardines and anchovies, that have consumed large quantities of
Pseudo-nitzschia.
SeaWorld in San Diego has taken in a half-dozen sick sea lions during the
past week, said Jody Westberg, an animal-care expert there. The theme
park is part of a statewide network of groups that rescue beached marine
mammals.
“All of them are showing promise and doing better than when they came
in,” Westberg said.
In Laguna Beach, the Pacific Marine Mammal Center has taken in nearly 30
sickened sea lions since Sunday. Half of them have died.
“It's been a lot worse this year than in years past,” said Emily Wing,
the center's spokeswoman.
There is no known antidote for domoic acid. SeaWorld and other rescue
centers treat the stricken animals by hydrating them with an electrolyte
solution that's administered by a needle under the skin.
“We try to flush the toxin out,” Westberg said.
Veterinarians sometimes administer sedatives to animals that are in
severe pain or suffering from seizures.
The last widespread outbreak of domoic acid poisoning along the
California coast happened in 2003 and affected an array of species – from
birds to dolphins.
Domoic acid also can harm people who eat clams, mussels or small fish
that have gorged on the toxic algae. Individuals who swim in waters
containing the algae are not at risk.
Meanwhile, people shouldn't be worried by the red tide that is giving the
ocean off San Diego County a murky appearance. The phenomena is caused by
a species of plankton unrelated to the domoic acid outbreak, said Peter
Franks, a professor of biological oceanography at the Scripps Institution
of Oceanography in La Jolla.
“It's coincidental that they are occurring at the same time, he said.
The algae that produce domoic acid prefer colder, nutrient-rich waters
that are farther offshore, Franks said.