Marine mammals and other animals continue to struggle with blooms of toxic algae on the Southern California coast.
Sea birds and sea lions have already been sickened by the domoic acid-producing algae, but researchers at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach have now confirmed that 15 dolphins were also made ill over the past couple of weeks.
While sea lions and birds can be treated and released back into the wild, dolphins are often too ill. Roughly half of the dolphins were found dead and half later died, meaning scientists are often performing necropsies instead of working to treat the illness.
Dr. Alissa Deming said the first ill sea lion was reported on Feb. 24, and “after that, it seems to be slowly creeping up.” A total of about 60 have now been taken in.
“In the past two weeks, we’ve been intaking anywhere between four to nine patients a day, which is why our hospital is filling up very quickly,” Deming told KTLA’s Chip Yost. “We do have concerns that we’re going to reach capacity in our hospital, and that might impact to respond to animals on the beach.”
