A California sea lion died at San Francisco's Crissy Field Beach after exhibiting signs of domoic acid poisoning.
A California sea lion died on Monday morning at Crissy Field Beach in San Francisco after displaying signs of distress, including head weaving and seizures. The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito dispatched a responder to the scene, but the animal died before the rescue team could be fully organized. Experts believe the sea lion likely suffered from domoic acid poisoning, a neurotoxin produced during harmful algal blooms. The toxin accumulates in small fish, which are then consumed by the sea lions. Warming ocean temperatures and El Niño conditions have contributed to the increase in these blooms. The Marine Mammal Center reported a surge in domoic acid cases along the California coast, noting that the hotline is receiving between 300 and 700 calls per day. The center has already exceeded its average annual number of rescues for this toxin. Scientists from UC Berkeley will perform a necropsy on the deceased sea lion to determine the exact cause of death.
Sources
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Sea lion dies after beaching at Crissy Field in SF
KTVU
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Sea lion dies at Crissy Field after showing signs of domoic acid poisoning
SFGATE
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Toxic algae bloom causes surge in sick, dying sea lions along Northern California coast
NBC Bay Area
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Sick sea lion dies on San Francisco's Crissy Field Beach in domoic acid neurotoxin case connected to warmer ocean waters, El Niño
ABC7 Bay Area