(Trends Wide) — For the Fourth of July celebration, Los Angeles health authorities are warning swimmers and visitors to avoid approaching sea lions infected with toxins from the large algae blooms that blanket California beaches.
In a message posted on Facebook, the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors advised beachgoers to stay at least 50 feet away from sick sea lions and to call the Marine Mammal Care Center or the California Wildlife if they saw any.
A sick sea lion marked with paint and abandoned in Redondo Beach, California. (Credit: Mike Blake/Reuters)
More than 100 sea lions are likely to have been infected with domoic acid, a neurotoxin produced by large algae blooms, according to a joint news release from the Department of Beaches and Harbors, the Department of Public Health and the Department of Care and Control. of animals.
The number of sick animals is higher than in previous years and is expected to increase during the Independence Day festivities, according to the statement.
Symptoms of domoic acid poisoning in sea lions also include unusual head movements from side to side and holding the head extended for set periods of time, the Marine Mammal Care Center said. The center notes that poisoned sea lions can behave unpredictably and become aggressive or lethargic and unresponsive.
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The neurotoxin enters the food chain when plankton eat the algae, according to the news release. It becomes more concentrated as you move up the food chain. Sea lions and dolphins are often poisoned after eating contaminated fish, while humans face the greatest threat from contaminated shellfish, the statement said.
The increase in algae and the consequent increase in domoic acid poisoning may be related to climate change, according to experts. This type of algae can flourish rapidly when there are changes in the amount of light and nutrients available, Trends Wide previously reported.
The Marine Mammal Care Center cares for more than 100 animals, many of them sea lions poisoned by domoic acid.
“Even if you want to help, the best and safest thing to do is to stay away and report the sick animal immediately,” said Marcia Mayeda, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control.
The Marine Mammal Care Center set up a temporary care center to help with the surge in sick sea lions.
“We are working closely with the [Centro de Cuidado de Mamíferos Marinos] to make sure they have the resources they need at their short-term care center on the beach,” Department of Beaches and Harbors director Gary Jones said in the statement. “We hope bathers leave plenty of room for lifeguards and their patients, even when the beach is crowded.
The wave of disease is not limited to Los Angeles, nor is it limited to sea lions. To the north, in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, rescue teams have treated more than 100 dead sea lions, 100 dead dolphins and 300 live sea lions, all with symptoms of domoic acid poisoning, Trends Wide previously reported.
On June 16, the California Department of Public Health issued a health advisory for “Santa Barbara County sport-harvested mussels, clams, or scallops” due to “dangerous levels of demoic acid.” The warning does not apply to commercially harvested shellfish, which are subject to mandatory toxin testing. The department also noted that cooking does not destroy the neurotoxin.
In humans, symptoms of demoic acid poisoning, also called amnesic shellfish poisoning, can appear 30 minutes to 24 hours after eating contaminated shellfish, according to the news release.
Mild cases of poisoning can cause vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headache, and dizziness. In severe cases, patients may experience trouble breathing, confusion, disorientation, cardiovascular instability, seizures, coma, and even death, according to the news release.
