Surfers chased from water by sea lion in Newport Beach
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Instead of hanging 10, some surfers in Newport Beach had to cut and run after they were accosted by an aggressive sea lion.
The sea lion chased the beachgoers out of the water and onto shore, FOX 11 L.A. reported Thursday. The animal was most likely suffering from the effects of domoic acid poisoning, the station reported.
Domoic acid is a neurotoxin produced by harmful algal blooms that accumulates in filter-feeding fish — including anchovies and sardines — which are then eaten by seals, sea lions and dolphins.
Domoic acid poisoning is stranding marine mammals as warnings are issued to beachgoers of the threat posed by animals that are transformed by their illness.
Sea lions have a 50% to 65% survival rate when they’re taken in for treatment in a timely manner, experts say. However, doing so can be difficult, as an adult female can weigh up to 250 pounds and an adult male up to 1,000 pounds, requiring several people to move each animal.
A domoic acid event occurred two years ago in California, resulting in the deaths of more than 1,000 sea lions.
The Marine Mammal Care Center in San Pedro has taken in more than 100 sickened sea lions, according to the organization. Dolphins also suffer from the effects of the poison but tend to get stranded on the beaches and almost always die.
Brown pelicans are filling up Southern California wildlife rehabilitation centers. Many adult birds have been poisoned in a major toxic algae bloom, and now young birds are starving too.
Domoic acid blooms usually happen every three to seven years. However, they are getting worse over time due to human activity and climate change, which has resulted in warmer ocean temperatures.
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