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Sea lions released back into Pacific Ocean as toxic algal blooms move out of Southern California
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Scripps scientists have confirmed that the harmful algal blooms (HABs) that have been responsible for sickening hundreds of marine mammals in the Pacific Ocean along the California coast this spring have moved out of the area, and rescue organizations in Southern California have been busy releasing the last of the rehabilitated sea lions.
Scientists with Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego report the harmful algal blooms (HABs) that produce domoic acid — which accumulates in fish and shellfish, sickening sea lions, dolphins and birds that eat them, and overwhelming local rescue organizations — are gone.
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SeaWorld San Diego Rescue teams this past spring were getting upwards of 100 calls per day for sea life in need of help as a result of the toxic algal blooms.
According to the County of Los Angeles, four injured sea lion pups — Brownie, Sprinkles, Peachick and Spiderling — that were rehabilitated and cared for by the Marine Mammal Care Center, were recently released at Venice Beach with help from the Los Angeles County Fire Department Lifeguard Division and marine mammal experts.
In San Diego, the SeaWorld San Diego Rescue team said the last seal lion suffering from domoic acid poisoning, and rehabilitated at SeaWorld, was returned to the Pacific Ocean on May 30.
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Scripps reports that although the HABs are not in Southern California anymore, they did detect some presence around Santa Cruz in late May.
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From mid-February to mid-May, SeaWorld San Diego reports its Animal Rescue Team rescued 69 sea lions and 60 birds suffering from domoic acid symptoms.
Rescue teams were overwhelmed by cases this year, but say marine rescue calls have dropped over the last three weeks.
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