Southern California sea lions and other marine mammals are becoming victims of a poisoning incident, something local experts call the worst in recent memory. When the warning is issued to beach viewers, it strands mammals in coastal areas, a threat posed by animals whose disease changes.
A surfer reported that the attack by a sea lion was “wild, almost demonic” as he was on the board near Ventura County on Friday. RJ Lamendola said the animal bit him when he surfed Oxnard, shook his head and dragged him off the surfboard. He said on Facebook that when he crossed out, the sea lion continued to follow him.
Intake of polysaccharides from harmful algae blooms can cause sea lion seizures or start the head with a movement called “stargazing.” They can also fall into a coma. But experts advise people not to interact with animals considered sick, because without warning, they may actively sting and even bite people.
Meanwhile, local rescue workers are working hard to meet the challenges.
As of Friday, the Marine Mammal Care Center in San Pedro had absorbed at least 140 sea lions, according to CEO John Warner. At least 50 species of dolphins are also trapped on regional beaches, but are usually euthanized because they almost always die from intake of polysaccharides.
Polysaccharide is a neurotoxin produced by the flowering of harmful algae that accumulates in filter-feeding fish, including anchovies and sardines. The fish were then eaten by seals, sea lions and dolphins. When sea lions are treated promptly, the survival rate is 50% to 65%.
Sea lion at Marine Mammal Care Center. Algae blooms that cause animal diseases can get worse due to climate change.
(William Liang / The Times)
Animals can be treated, but moving sick sea lions to facilities can be difficult, as adult females can weigh 250 pounds and adult males can reach up to 1,000 pounds, requiring several people to move each animal.
A similar polysaccharide incident occurred in California in 2023, killing more than 1,000 sea lions.
Warner said that the algae blooms in February were uncommon, but not unheard of either, adding that he could only recall another stranded event at this time a few years ago.
Warner said that as human activities intensify the intensity, timing and scale of stranding events, the toxic algae blooms have become increasingly severe over time.
According to Warner, warming ocean temperatures caused by climate change, coupled with ocean acidification caused by nitrate runoff, worsens the toxic algae event. When it rains in Los Angeles County, organic runoff flows into the ocean and is then fed to the algae.
“Stargazing” is one of the symptoms during a polysaccharide outbreak.
(William Liang / The Times)
“I liken it to blooming blooms, from the steroids of artificial factors that make these blooms worse every time I see them,” Warner said.
Large domoic acid blooms usually occur every three to seven years, but Warner said scientists expect to see these events happen more frequently.
Treatment for affected animals includes feeding pipes and intravenous infusions twice a day, which provides them with nutrition and medication until the seizure is under control, Warner said. Treatment also includes antibacterial drugs and sedatives, which also help control seizures so the intensity and duration do not worsen and lead to permanent brain damage.
Warner said the longer the animal’s exposure and the more toxic flowers, the more it increases the risk of permanent brain damage and prevents it from being released into the wild. In this case, animals must be euthanized when the behavior is no longer safe.
Veterinarians at the San Pedro Wildlife Center treated sea lions.
(William Liang / The Times)
Algal Bloom, which now began a month ago, has a attitude towards the center than the algae flooding that occurred in 2023.
Warner said that in addition to the higher number of pathological sea lions absorbed by the overall center, more male sea lions are succumbing to polysaccharide poisoning than two years ago. In 2023, the center occupied about 130 sea lions and did not have to take over any males.
“It takes a lot of time to fall them down and we bring them into them without them fighting,” he added. “It speaks to the conditions they are in.”
The duration and frequency of flowers that can cause sea lion poisoning increases.
(William Liang / The Times)
Male sea lions can keep them in the same pen when they are in a coma, but once they start to wake up, they become aggressive due to the nervous system of the toxins. This creates capacity pressure in the wildlife centers, because at some point every male sea lion needs its own fence.
Warner said the center could receive another 20 sea lions as they continue to release some of the recovered animals. They can only take it with sea lions for another week or two, as the center still has to prepare for the rescue of orphans or stranded large seal puppies during the puppy season that lands between February and late June.
“If those numbers stay for another week or two, we’ll be where we have to leave the animals on the beach,” he said.
Sea lions recover in marine mammal care center.
(William Liang / The Times)
Currently, the center has two male sea lions in the same pen and must be separated. There are four small housings, a medium housing and a large housing. Each shell can fit three to five adult female sea lions, but can only be fenced at a time.
“It’s confusion,” he added.
Warner said the Wildlife Center occupied 120 sea lions and five dolphins during the 2023 stranding event. Dolphins can only be repaired when they are endangered. They tend to experience intense stress hormones and troublesome breathing when they are around and in the water.
There isn’t much to do with reducing flowers or clearing out blooming; flowers usually last four to eight weeks, Warner said. The stranding event in 2023 lasted for eight and a half weeks.
Madison Cooper of Wildlife Center prepares the fish for feeding.
(William Liang / The Times)
Since the Marine Mammal Care Center is a small nonprofit that relies on private philanthropy, Warner has been in contact with cities and counties in the state to demand their support in preparation for future stranding events.
“It’s kind of like in a fire, and you won’t hire firefighters and personnel after the fire starts,” he said. “We don’t have the resources to deal with this volume continuously. We are doing everything we can to satisfy this moment, and without public and private partnerships, we won’t be able to do that.”
While Angelenos may have learned to distance themselves at least 50 feet from sick marine animals, not to take selfies with them, and not to restore dolphins from the beach to the water, visitors are much less educated about the proper protocol, Warner said.
Sea lions are located in a cage at the Marine Mammal Care Center, where the surge in poisoning has strained capacity.
(William Liang / The Times)
People should call (800) 399-4253 and seek relief assistance if they see any stranded marine animals.
Dolphins, especially, are stinging around humans, and the rate of heart attacks is high when they are scared.
“It’s not the ending that these animals deserve, and people need to leave them alone, not crowd around them,” Warner said. “That’s what we really need. Take a selfie to kill the animals, so use the zoom and stay away.”
