[Updated: Tue., June 20, 2023, 1:23pm]
A harmful algae bloom off the coasts of Santa Barbara and Ventura counties is poisoning an alarming number of California sea lions and dolphins that have washed up on the shoreline since May. Hundreds of distressed beachgoers have called the Channel Islands Marine & Wildlife Institute (CIMWI) to report dead and sick animals along local beaches. A surge of such reports occurred last week.
The nonprofit institute said the majority of calls they received are about sea lions showing signs of domoic acid toxicity — the acid is a naturally occurring neurotoxin produced by blooms of algae, typically in spring or fall, also known as the “red tide.” Marine mammals and seabirds become sick after eating small prey that feed on the algae blooms but are not affected by the toxin. The large animals can experience brain lesions, hippocampus shrinking, and even death, according to CIMWI.
