Latest news with #Pseudo-nitzschia
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
No more demon sea lions? Good news for those who've been afraid to go to the beach
After a brutal spring of toxic algae blooms turning some sea lions into sick, snarling seaside hazards, anxious beachgoers can breathe a sigh of relief as experts say the worst of the poisoning is over. This week, the Marine Mammal Care Center in San Pedro excitedly announced that they had seen no new patients with domoic acid poisoning nor any recent signs of Pseudo-nitzschia algae in Southern California waters. "This was the longest, most toxic, and deadliest bloom we've ever experienced," the center announced on social media. "Because of your support and advocacy, we got through it, and hundreds of marine mammals received a second chance at life!" This year's poisoning event pushed the center to its limits as it treated more than 400 marine animals, including scores of sick sea lions and dolphins. It was also marked by several reports of aggressive sea lions attacking people in the water. Read more: 'Feral, almost demonic': Surge in poisoned sea lions threatens SoCal beachgoers, burdens rescuers A 15-year-old girl was bitten by a sea lion while completing a swim test for her Junior Lifeguards program in Long Beach at the end of March. A few weeks prior, a surfer was reportedly accosted by a 'feral, almost demonic' sea lion that he said dragged him off his board in Oxnard and stalked him in the water. The California coastline can experience large-scale blooms of an algae called Pseudo-nitzschia australis when warm water combines with excess nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. Researchers say that climate change and an increase in agricultural runoff, wastewater discharge, and urban stormwater have increased the scale and frequency of these blooms in recent years. Small fish including anchovies and sardines ingest the toxic algae, which then bioaccumulates in larger marine mammals like sea lions that eat the fish. Ingesting domoic acid can cause sea lions to have seizures or to crane their heads in a motion known as 'stargazing.' They can also fall into a comatose state. Experts advise people not to interact with animals believed to be sick because they might aggressively lunge or even bite. Southern California saw another major poisoning event in 2023, which resulted in the deaths of more than 1,000 sea lions. If taken in for prompt treatment, poisoned sea lions have a 50% to 65% survival rate, according to the Marine Mammal Care Center. Although the worst of this year's crisis appears to be over, the center still has its work cut out to tend to the sick animals and prepare for the next bloom. In order to meet the growing regional need, the center says it is expanding its hospital facility, increasing its rescue capacity and securing research funding to better understand toxic algae blooms. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
5 days ago
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
No more demon sea lions? Good news for those who've been afraid to go to the beach
After a brutal spring of toxic algae blooms turning some sea lions into sick, snarling seaside hazards, anxious beachgoers can breathe a sigh of relief as experts say the worst of the poisoning is over. This week, the Marine Mammal Care Center in San Pedro excitedly announced that they had seen no new patients with domoic acid poisoning nor any recent signs of Pseudo-nitzschia algae in Southern California waters. 'This was the longest, most toxic, and deadliest bloom we've ever experienced,' the center announced on social media. 'Because of your support and advocacy, we got through it, and hundreds of marine mammals received a second chance at life!' This year's poisoning event pushed the center to its limits as it treated more than 400 marine animals, including scores of sick sea lions and dolphins. It was also marked by several reports of aggressive sea lions attacking people in the water. A 15-year-old girl was bitten by a sea lion while completing a swim test for her Junior Lifeguards program in Long Beach at the end of March. A few weeks prior, a surfer was reportedly accosted by a 'feral, almost demonic' sea lion that he said dragged him off his board in Oxnard and stalked him in the water. The California coastline can experience large-scale blooms of an algae called Pseudo-nitzschia australis when warm water combines with excess nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. Researchers say that climate change and an increase in agricultural runoff, wastewater discharge, and urban stormwater have increased the scale and frequency of these blooms in recent years. Small fish including anchovies and sardines ingest the toxic algae, which then bioaccumulates in larger marine mammals like sea lions that eat the fish. Ingesting domoic acid can cause sea lions to have seizures or to crane their heads in a motion known as 'stargazing.' They can also fall into a comatose state. Experts advise people not to interact with animals believed to be sick because they might aggressively lunge or even bite. Southern California saw another major poisoning event in 2023, which resulted in the deaths of more than 1,000 sea lions. If taken in for prompt treatment, poisoned sea lions have a 50% to 65% survival rate, according to the Marine Mammal Care Center. Although the worst of this year's crisis appears to be over, the center still has its work cut out to tend to the sick animals and prepare for the next bloom. In order to meet the growing regional need, the center says it is expanding its hospital facility, increasing its rescue capacity and securing research funding to better understand toxic algae blooms.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Toxic algae sicknesses declining, marine animal rescue org says
Congratulations, Southern California. Experts say the worst of the deadly algae bloom is over. The Marine Mammal Care Center in San Pedro on Wednesday announced that 'there have been no new patients showing signs of domoic acid (DA) toxicosis this past week and no signs of Pseudo-nitzschia algae detected in Southern California waters as of Friday.' In the past few months, animals like birds, sea lions and marine mammals have been sickened or killed by domoic acid poisoning, which is brought on by algae blooms. The flood of sickened animals overwhelmed veterinarians and care centers near the Southern California coast, though many of those animals that were treated were able to recover from the potentially fatal toxin. 'This was the longest, most toxic, and deadliest bloom we've ever experienced,' the MMCC said. 'Because of your support and advocacy, we got through it, and hundreds of marine mammals received a second chance at life!' Though the worst of this crisis appears to be over, the MMCC is preparing for the next battle by expanding its facilities and increasing patient capacity. As LAist notes, climate change is making oceans more acidic as they absorb more carbon dioxide, conditions that allow many algae to thrive. 'And some of those algae, like Pseudo-nitzschia, produce the toxic domoic acid,' LAist explains. 'We're seeing these types of events happening year after year after year. And they're increasing in their intensity and their frequency,' David Bader, a marine biologist with the MMCC, told LAist. As a result, the MMCC is currently fundraising to assist in that preparation effort. 'We couldn't have made it through without your support,' the organization added. 'Thank you for every donation, comment, and share. Here's a big California sea lion-sized thank you from all of us at MMCC!' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
‘Horrific' Scene On The California Coast: Largest Algae Bloom On Record Is Killing Thousands Of Marine Animals
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways Toxic algae blooms along the California coast have been a problem off and on for the past four years, but what's been happening in recent months is unprecedented. This is now one of the largest harmful algae blooms ever recorded in this region and has led to thousands of marine animals and birds becoming sick or dying in recent months. This includes at least two whale species, dolphins, birds and the biggest numbers have been from sea lions. 'It's horrific,' Glenn Gray, CEO of the Pacific Marine Mammal Center (PMMC) told 'The number of dead dolphins we've gotten this year is just off the charts. We're all dealing with numbers within a two-month period of time that would normally represent the number of responses we would make in a year. It's been the worst that's on record in terms of how it's affecting the animals and the different species of animals.' The toxin is called domoic acid poisoning, which is a neurotoxin produced by an algae called Pseudo-nitzschia. It attacks the nervous system of marine life, either killing them, or making them appear disoriented, according to scientists at the PMMC. 'It's like having a seizure,' explained Gray. 'I compare it to a pet having a seizure. It's very similar and heart-wrenching because the sea lions are kind and gentle. They're playing with each other and then the next moment, they're seizing.' Gray explains that if these sea lions seize for more than 30 seconds, there's a good chance they will suffer irreversible damage to their brain. He says they can become unbalanced, and stay very unpredictable and potentially dangerous to others. What's happening is that the domoic acid is collecting in the smaller fish species that the larger animals are feeding on. Scientists have revealed that this toxin is spreading throughout the food web, which is impacting more and more species, including whales. 'Each of these whale deaths is heartbreaking, and also deeply telling,' said Keith Matassa, CEO and Founder of the Ocean Animal Response & Research Alliance (OARRA). 'Whales are sentinels of ocean health, and their suffering signals a larger ecological imbalance driven by intensifying harmful algal blooms. These events are no longer isolated, they're increasing in scope, scale, frequency, and severity.' Recent California Wildfires Possibly Played A Role While no official scientific studies have been completed yet, the recent wildfires, including the Palisades Fire, could be contributing to the toxins. The fire burned more than 23,000 acres and destroyed nearly 7,000 structures. Scientists are currently investigating whether the fire retardant used to fight the fires could be contributing to the magnitude of this algae bloom. 'The toxic algae is essentially fed by pollution,' explained Gray. 'If you look at the fire retardant, the pink substance that was dumped, the two active ingredients of that are water and fertilizer.' Shortly after the fires, atmospheric river conditions brought a lot of rain, and scientists are concerned that all the nutrient fertilizer that ran off into the ocean is a contributing factor. They are also looking into what negative contributions the runoff of charred debris may have had as well. 'We're running from daylight to sunset, from one end of the county to the other," said Gray. 'It's just been crazy with respect to the number of animals we have in our hospital. Our staff and our volunteers are putting in 14-18 hour days.' What To Do If You Encounter A Sick Marine Animal Algae blooms have been more frequent and more severe in the last few decades, because of warmer ocean temperatures being driven by climate change. But added pollutants only exacerbate the situation. And while marine life is at the mercy of Mother Nature as to when this bloom will weaken, scientists worry about the impacts of this dragging out much longer. 'I'm worried that if this continues all the way through June as the last one did, there's just gonna be a lot more fatalities,' said Gray. NOAA fisheries and their network rely on the public as its eyes and ears, urging beachgoers and others to report stranded animals to the Network hotline at 866-767-6114. The PMMC says beachgoers should also make sure to stay clear of stranded animals and keep their pets away from marine mammals. These animals can bite and may carry diseases that may be harmful to humans and pets. Jennifer Gray is a weather and climate writer for She has been covering some of the world's biggest weather and climate stories for the last two decades.
25-04-2025
- Health
What to know about the toxic algae bloom killing marine life in Southern California
An "unprecedented" toxic algae bloom has overrun the coast of Southern California, sickening marine animals and staining the shoreline, according to marine scientists. The toxin it produces is domoic acid. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration began seeing an uptick in domoic acid toxicity cases in Los Angeles County in February, Jeni Smith, a rescue supervisor at SeaWorld San Diego, told ABC News. Other West Coast marine mammal stranding facilities -- which rescue and rehabilitate marine animals -- have reported seeing the same. Since then, the algae blooms have been spreading to San Diego County, Orange County, Santa Barbara County and beyond. Toxic algae blooms have always been a been a naturally occurring event in the region, but more regular occurrences began in 1998, Smith said. For the past four years, there have been annual incidents of ocean waters showing high concentrations of domoic acid and algae blooms, according to NOAA. And the levels measured in recent weeks have been "especially toxic," Alexis Fischer, an aquatic scientist at EutroPHIX -- a company focusing on restoring water quality -- and a former NOAA researcher, told ABC News. In addition, marine scientists in Southern California are accustomed to seeing the blooms start in the summer, when the waters are warmer -- not when it is still technically winter, Smith said. Recent water testing off of the Scripps Memorial Pier in San Diego indicated concentrations of domoic acid so high that the event will likely persist for some time before it's filtered out -- and it's unclear how long that could take, Smith said. Marine mammals such as whales, pinnipeds such as sea lions and pelicans are among the species that have been impacted by the toxin this year. Sea World San Diego has rescued over 100 animals suspected of suffering from domoic acid poisoning since February. That includes 44 birds, 57 California sea lions and 14 dolphins that were actively seizing or dead on arrival. Rescue centers along the coast have rescued more than 1,000 animals total in that same period, Smith said. Partners of the West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network are receiving 100 calls a day on average for reports of animals poisoned by the toxic algae bloom, according to NOAA. At rescue facilities, marine biologists attempt to flush out the toxins using fluid therapy. During necropsies, biologists can determine whether domoic acid was the cause of death by examining the brain and heart. "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 statement. "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." What are toxic algae blooms? Harmful blooms occur when colonies of algae grow out of control and produce toxic or harmful effects, according to NOAA. Pseudo-nitzschia, a needle-like group of single-celled algae that is capable of producing domoic acid, has been present in San Diego for years -- but its role in wildlife mortality has been increasing in recent years, according to researchers. Marine biologists at the University of Southern California announced in 2018 that the region's coast was emerging as a " hot spot" for toxic algae, with concentrations of domoic acid at the highest level ever recorded at the time. Manmade sources of nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, can seep into ocean waters and encourage the growth of algae blooms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Another contributing factor is human wastewater. But a warming ocean appears to be helping to spread them farther north as well, researchers say. While the toxic algae blooms typically only form every four to seven years, warming temperatures and an increase of pollution can drive the growth and occurrences, according to the CDC. "I do think that these animals are definitely telling the bigger-picture story," Smith said. "With warming water and the climate getting warmer, we may see this more often." Wind-driven upwelling of deep ocean water can also feed rapid growth of the algae and the toxin it produces, according to NOAA. This phenomenon occurs when factors like wind push surface waters away, allowing for colder and more nutrient-dense waters to rise. Domoic acid in shellfish has been found to occur at high concentrations off the coast of San Diego, Orange and Los Angeles counties, according to USC researchers. But the toxin tends to be more prevalent in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, due to more favorable environmental conditions for growing Pseudo-nitzschia -- including wind-driven upwelling, among other factors. What does domoic acid do? Domoic acid, the neurotoxin produced by the algae species Pseudo-nitzschia, can stain the ocean -- a phenomenon commonly known as "red tide" that appears as foam, scum, mats or paint on the surface of the water, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, the stains from this particular species tends to be brown, according to USC. The acid accumulates in shellfish before creeping up the food chain. Once ingested by fish, birds, seals and sea lions, the toxin attacks the nervous system. "It does change their brain, and it can affect their heart," Smith said. Changes in animal behavior include "abnormally aggressive" behavior or lethargy, Smith said. Some animals appear to not be aware of their surroundings and others have been seen having seizures on the beach, she added. Sea lions suffering from domoic acid poisoning have been observed exiting their habitat and moving toward urban areas, such as freeways, due to the toxins' effect on the brain, Smith said. "It affects each animal differently based off of how much of the fish that they have consumed," Smith said. Domoic acid can also cause amnesic shellfish poisoning in humans. Symptoms depend on the type of bloom, but acute cases with ingestion in high doses can include vomiting, cramping, coma and death -- as well as neurological impacts such as hallucinations, confusion and memory loss. However, human fatalities from domoic acid exposure are rare, scientists say. The CDC advises people to stay out of "discolored, scummy or smelly" water and to keep pets away. Humans or animals that come into contact with a toxic algae bloom should rinse off with tap water right after, according to the CDC. Several toxic algae incidents have been recorded in Southern California A number of recent incidents involving marine life have been blamed on the harmful toxic algae. The cause of death of a juvenile humpback whale stranded on Huntington Beach on Jan. 24 and a minke whale stranded on Long Beach on April 6 was determined to be domoic acid toxicosis, necropsies performed by the Pacific Marine Mammal Center and the Ocean Animal Response & Research Alliance found. In March, a man who was surfing at Oxnard State Beach in Ventura County reported he was attacked by a "demonic" sea lion that bit him and dragged him off his board. The mammal was "devoid" of curiosity and playfulness, personality traits typically associated with sea lions, the surfer wrote on Facebook. A similar attack occurred on March 30, when a 15-year-old girl was bitten by an aggressive sea lion on Long Beach, Capt. Jack Crabtree, public information officer for the Long Beach Fire Department, told ABC News. The junior lifeguard candidate was swimming about 25 yards from shore during tryouts for the junior lifeguard cadet program when the sea lion emerged from the water and bit her, Crabtree said. Dozens of dolphins have also washed ashore since February, ABC Los Angeles station KABC reported. "It's the worst we've ever seen here in Southern California on many different fronts, but dolphin strandings, it's unprecedented," Warner told KABC. "It's unprecedented." Alfred Hitchcock's 1963 horror film "Birds" is thought to have been inspired by a domoic acid incident, according to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. In the summer of 1961, thousands of frenzied seabirds were seen in Monterey, California, when Hitchcock was visiting. Santa Cruz Sentinel reported on Aug. 18, 1961.
