50 So Cal Marine Animal Rescues Halfway Through April 2011
An Animal Rights Article from All-Creatures.org

FROM

Peter Wallerstein, Marine Animal Rescue
May 2010

[Ed. Note: The negative impacts of increases in domoic acid (toxic algae) are increasing in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The cause of the increases in domoic acid are directly related to the warming of the oceans, one consequence of which is the proliferation of many strains of algae. AND, most information about domoic acid is related to the impacts on humans from eating certain kinds of sealife. If the seals and dolphins are affected, that means other sealife that people eat are definitely also affected. And...one more reason to GO VEGAN!]

Many of the sea lions were very healthy until they ate the fish loaded with the powerful toxin domoic acid.

Although some of the sea lions seemed to be active with good body weight, the fact is, all of them were having seizures on the beach caused by domoic acid just moments before the rescues. These sea lions were very healthy until they ate the fish loaded with the powerful toxin domoic acid.

Some of the sea lions are paralyzed when they first arrive on the beach. Others can be very active even with the toxin exploding in their brains. We do are best to rescue them before they go back into the deep water where they could drown while suffering a seizure brought on by domoic acid.

Domoic sea lion rescued from Mothers Beach Marina del Rey, April 10

We’ve also had at least 8 dolphins, mostly common dolphins strand on the beach this week suffering seizures, again brought on by domoic. None of the dolphins have survived.

Many thanks to LA County Lifeguards for assisting with the rescues and crowd control!

The most recent rescue is a 10-month old sea lion pup who is suffering from a wound caused by a monofiliment [fishing line] wrapped around his neck.

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