Latest news with #PhoebeBeltran
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
California: sea lion attack on teenager raises fears of toxic algae poisoning
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 1000-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. Related: 'Superpod' of more than 2,000 dolphins frolic off California coast: 'Like flying eyebrows' A surfer bitten by a sea lion near Oxnard in late March told CBS News he'd never experienced anything like the terrifying altercation and that the animal's expression was 'feral, almost demonic, devoid of the curiosity or playfulness I'd always associated with sea lions'. '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 are 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's 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. The algae typically grows after a wind-driven upwelling that churns deep ocean water full of nutrients closer to the surface. Fish are first to ingest the acid produced by the algae, which then poisons the animals that eat them. This year, the timing and location – with the first poisoning documented around 20 February near Malibu, California – has spurred questions over whether this could have been caused by debris from the Los Angeles fires that swept through the area in January. But the climate crisis has long been a culprit of the rising risks, as increasing temperatures and changing ocean conditions help fuel the growth of this algae. This year's early start to the issue comes just two years after the worst domoic acid bloom on record claimed the lives of at least 1,000 marine mammals along the southern California coast in just a single month. 'It does take an emotional toll in the field,' John Warner, chief executive officer of the Marine Mammal Care Center in Los Angeles, said in a post shared by Noaa fisheries. 'Year after year, it's getting tough. Each of our organizations is trying hard to get to as many animals as we can, but we don't have the resources to rescue every one that is out there.'
The Guardian
03-04-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
California: sea lion attack on teenager raises fears of toxic algae poisoning
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 1000-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. A surfer bitten by a sea lion near Oxnard in late March told CBS News he'd never experienced anything like the terrifying altercation and that the animal's expression was 'feral, almost demonic, devoid of the curiosity or playfulness I'd always associated with sea lions'. '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 are 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's 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. The algae typically grows after a wind-driven upwelling that churns deep ocean water full of nutrients closer to the surface. Fish are first to ingest the acid produced by the algae, which then poisons the animals that eat them. This year, the timing and location – with the first poisoning documented around 20 February near Malibu, California – has spurred questions over whether this could have been caused by debris from the Los Angeles fires that swept through the area in January. But the climate crisis has long been a culprit of the rising risks, as increasing temperatures and changing ocean conditions help fuel the growth of this algae. This year's early start to the issue comes just two years after the worst domoic acid bloom on record claimed the lives of at least 1,000 marine mammals along the southern California coast in just a single month. 'It does take an emotional toll in the field,' John Warner, chief executive officer of the Marine Mammal Care Center in Los Angeles, said in a post shared by Noaa fisheries. 'Year after year, it's getting tough. Each of our organizations is trying hard to get to as many animals as we can, but we don't have the resources to rescue every one that is out there.'
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
15-year-old girl attacked by sea lion in California
Phoebe Beltran, 15, has always been a "water baby," according to her mom, Bibi Beltran. She has always had a love for swimming, she told ABC News, which was why she decided to participate in a junior lifeguard cadet program in Long Beach, California, on March 30. In the middle of competing in the 1,000-yard swim test, she felt pain in her right arm. "My initial reaction was, 'I'm getting eaten in the middle of the water, it's a shark, I'm going to die,'" Phoebe Beltran told ABC News. Phoebe Beltran immediately screamed for help, which is when the animal -- she later found out was a sea lion -- let go of her arm. She was assisted back to the shore and a lifeguard boat patrolling the water brought all the other swimmers to safety, according to the Long Beach Fire Department. "As I was getting up onto shore, that's when I stood up, the lifeguards saw that my arm was bleeding, they took me to the sand and started fixing me up before sending me to the ER," Phoebe Beltran said. Her mom heard the screams, but didn't think it was her daughter until she saw her arm gushing with blood. "I don't have the words to explain the panic in a mom's heart when they see their child like that," Bibi Beltran said. "It was a rollercoaster of emotions." Phoebe Beltran had bites "localized to her arms and extremities" and was taken to the local hospital, but "did not require advanced treatment," officials said. MORE: 'Demonic' sea lion reports spark concerns about toxic algae on California coast She later found out the lifeguards determined the animal that attacked her was a sea lion. Phoebe Beltran said she did not do "anything that provoked" the sea lion and she would not have swum next to it if she had seen the animal. "It came out of nowhere, I was surprised by it and so were other people," Phoebe Beltran said. This incident comes after sea lions on the California coast have reportedly been displaying strange behavior, likely due to a harmful algae bloom impacting the region, according to marine researchers. The sea lions are likely being poisoned by domoic acid, a neurotoxin within the algae blooms, which they ingest through the fish they eat, according to marine experts. Ingesting domoic acid can cause amnesic shellfish poisoning in humans and marine mammals, according to the Marine Mammal Care Center. "Instances of bites are quite a rare occurrence, but it is important for the public to maintain a distance of 150 feet from sea lions and other marine life on local beaches, exit the water immediately if approached by a marine mammal (do not engage) and call trained wildlife first responders if there appears to be a marine mammal in distress," the center said in a statement to ABC News. Justin Viezbicke, the California Stranding Coordinator for National Marine Fisheries Service, told ABC News that sea lions are not typically aggressive creatures and would normally "just run away" at the sight of humans, not attack. MORE: Pipeline surfer who appeared in 'Blue Crush' killed in shark attack in Hawaii, emergency officials say "With this domoic acid poisoning, for some reason, it's changing something in them that does create a situation where the sea lions have reacted, and that reaction has been either to bite or to chase after people or to exhibit behaviors that we would consider not normal," Viezbicke said. Common symptoms for domoic acid poisoning include lethargy, seizures, a bobbing and weaving of their heads and in some cases, aggression, Viezbicke said. "Normal behavior is that they're alert and aware of you," Viezbicke said. "Oftentimes, with domoic acid, that awareness is really not there until you may be getting too close." Officials said the sea lion that attacked Phoebe Beltran had "no evidence" of being sick, just appearing to be aggressive. After the attack, the animal "left immediately and swam back out in the ocean," the fire department said. However, Phoebe Beltran still thinks this animal was ill. "Knowing it happened out of nowhere, I deeply feel like it had something with it being sick," Phoebe Beltran said. "It's sad they weren't able to catch it to help it and bring it back to its health, but hopefully it's doing better on its own." Phoebe Beltran said her pain is "manageable," but the emotional trauma from the incident is something she still struggles with. "The physical wounds don't seem that bad, but what happened took a toll on me mentally, so it's just something I am working on getting over," Phoebe Beltran told ABC News. Despite the attack, Phoebe Beltran said she still plans on getting back in the water once she is completely healed, competing again for the junior lifeguard program and pursuing a career focusing on marine life. "I came out really lucky to have my arm, it's still working, it's just scratches. [I hope people can] be more aware of what's going on in the water, not to blame it on the sea animals at all," Phoebe Beltran said. ABC News' Julia Jacobo contributed to this report 15-year-old girl attacked by sea lion in California originally appeared on
The Independent
02-04-2025
- The Independent
Teen girl attacked by sea lion in Long Beach thought she was encountering a shark
A 15-year-old girl was attacked by a sea lion on a Southern Californian beach but mistook it for a shark. Phoebe Beltran was due to take a swim test for Long Beach 's cadet lifeguard program on Sunday when the attack happened in front of an Ocean Boulevard lifeguard tower. 'Out of nowhere, I feel something biting my arm,' Beltran teen told KTLA. 'I saw a shadow of it, and all I'm thinking is, 'Please, don't be a shark. Please, don't take off my arm, and please, don't kill me.'' The teen was instead met with a hostile sea lion, a marine animal that can weigh up to 700 pounds and measure up to six feet. Phoebe was left with multiple bites, scratches on her arm and hand, swelling, and bruising, but did not suffer serious injuries. She was swiftly taken to the emergency room after lifeguards rescued the teen as fast as possible. The attack comes as toxic algae blooms are poisoning sea lions on the Southern Californian coast, according to marine scientists. This makes them more aggressive and potentially dangerous to humans. Changes in their behavior are thought to be caused by poisoning from domoic acid produced by the blooms, which contributes to seizures and health issues in sea lions. The teen's mother was also distraught as she thought there was a shark. 'I saw something come up, like a fin, and somebody yelled, 'Shark'... We all rushed to the water, and when I realized it was my daughter, that's when I broke down,' Bibi Beltran said. 'She could've been pulled under. I thought the worst,' she told KTLA. Despite the terrifying experience, Phoebe is looking forward to taking the lifeguard cadet test once she has recovered. 'I love the beach. I love the ocean. I love swimming,' she said. Beachgoers are advised to alert the closest lifeguard and call 1-800-39-WHALE to report a stranded or sick marine mammal. Anyone encountering a sea lion anywhere is advised to avoid eye contact and back away slowly.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Yahoo
Aggressive sea lion attacks 15-year-old girl in Southern California waters
(KTLA) – A 15-year-old in Long Beach, California, is recovering after a terrifying and unexpected ocean encounter with a sea lion that attacked her over the weekend. The incident happened Sunday in front of a lifeguard tower on what was supposed to be a big day for Phoebe Beltran and her family. She was at the beach to complete her swim test for the cadet lifeguard program in Long Beach. 'Out of nowhere, I feel something biting my arm,' the teen told Nexstar's KTLA. 'I saw a shadow of it, and all I'm thinking is, 'Please, don't be a shark. Please, don't take off my arm and please, don't kill me.'' It wasn't a shark. Instead, it was an aggressive sea lion, some of which can be as long as 6 feet and weigh up to 700 pounds when fully matured. On the beach, Bibi Beltran, Phoebe's mother, also noticed something was wrong and thought her daughter had come face to face with a shark. 'I saw something come up, like a fin, and somebody yelled, 'Shark,'' she explained. 'We all rushed to the water, and when I realized it was my daughter, that's when I broke down.' Cause of death determined for 3 young American women who died at Belize resort The sea lion left the 15-year-old with several bites as well as scratches on her arm and hand. Thankfully, aside from feeling swollen and bruised, she didn't suffer any severe injuries. Lifeguards quickly swam out to the teen, grabbed her and got her back to shore. She was then taken to an emergency room. 'It's just a scary thought,' her mother told KTLA. 'She could've been pulled under. I thought the worst.' For now, Phoebe is healing but looks forward to trying out for the lifeguard cadets once she's fully recovered. 'I love the beach. I love the ocean. I love swimming,' she said. Marine experts in Southern California say that sea lions are being poisoned by blooms of toxic algae that can make them more aggressive. Anyone who encounters a sea lion, either on the beach or the water, should slowly back away, refrain from acting menacing, and avoid eye contact. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
