For 4th Straight Year, Domoic Acid Poisoning From Algae Sickening, Killing Marine Mammals In Southern California
A teenager was attacked by a sea lion in southern California, raising concerns that a recent increase in algae-induced poisonings among marine mammals could have elicited the erratic behavior. Phoebe Beltran initially feared it was a shark when she was bitten repeatedly during a 1,000-yard swim test for the Junior Lifeguards cadet program in Long Beach on 30 March. Relatives onshore saw the sea lion pop its head out of the water before it swam away, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Beltran, 15, was briefly hospitalized and treated for injuries to her arm. Little could be done to determine why exactly the sea lion became unusually aggressive. But the act aligns with symptoms observed in animals afflicted by toxic algae, which has sickened hundreds of animals off the southern California coast since late February.
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“Although lethargy, disorientation, and abnormal neurologic behavior (seizures/tremoring) are typical primary behaviors for sea lions impacted by the neurotoxin, erratic and sometimes aggressive behavior can occur,” said Giancarlo Rulli, a spokesperson for the Marine Mammal Center, in an email. He added that bites by seals and sea lions were rare, but warned members of the public to always avoid engaging with marine life and to stay at least 150ft away from animals on beaches.
Responders with the West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network, a consortium of experts and organizations that intervene when animals are in danger, have reported more than 100 calls a day as scores of sea lions and dolphins wash up on shores. The need has been so great in recent weeks, teams have had to make tragic decisions, helping only those with the best chance of survival. If they receive treatment quickly, sea lions have a 50-65% chance of survival. For dolphins, ingesting the toxin is almost always deadly. This is the fourth year in a row that there has been a major outbreak from domoic acid in California, a troubling development that is becoming more intense, common and unpredictable, according to Rulli. The most recent toxic algae bloom occurred earlier in the year than normal and has hit hardest along the coast between Santa Barbara and Los Angeles.
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https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/02/california-sea-lion-poisoning