Plagued marine mammals

Suzie Harrison and Deepa Bharath

It is not uncommon for sea lions to wash up on Orange County beaches.

In Huntington Beach, it happens “every once in a while,” said

Lifeguard and Marine Safety Officer Eric Dieteman.

“We had one two days ago,” he said Tuesday. “We’re not sure why

they’re washing up, but it’s not all that rare. They do come up once in a

while.”

But a recent rise in the number of sea lions deaths, especially off

the beaches of Southern California, is worrying marine biologists.

The Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach has been deluged with

critically ill sea lions and dolphins over the last few weeks, and their

volunteers are working around the clock to help save the animals, the

center’s administrators said.

The massive surge of patients is due to a toxic algae bloom containing

harmful, often lethal biotoxins, that attack the creatures’ central

nervous system causing seizures, said Bonnie Starr with Friends of the

Sea Lion.

“From the nervous system it goes to the brain,” she said. Death or

recovery depends on how much of the algae the sea lion has eaten, Starr

said.With this poisonous algae however, there is a 95% mortality rate,

explained Richard Evans, pathologist and the center’s medical director.

“The brain damage by and large is irreversible,” he said.

Biologists say most of the afflicted sea lions are females because it

is near birthing season, and they are eating more when pregnant. High

levels of the toxin have been found in fish they consume such as

anchovies and sardines.

Usually, when a sea lion is brought into the Laguna Beach shelter, a

volunteer immediately administers an IV fluid, electrolytes and Vitamin

B. They are also treated with Valium because it is an inexpensive

sedative and it calms down the animals.

Depending on their progress, the sea lions are gradually fed fish. But

if there is no improvement in their condition after 72 hours, they are

euthanized.

“At that point it would have suffered permanent brain damage with no

chance of recovery,” Starr said. “It’s the most humane thing to do.”The

recent epidemic started in Northern California and made its way to Orange

County in January. By March 17, both dolphins and sea lions were getting

sick and started being brought into the shelter. In the past two weeks,

about 25 were brought in.

The last outbreak that hit the sea lions was in 1998 and 1999, and it

was pretty much contained in the northern part of the state, Evans said.

Scientists have not yet figured out what triggers these attacks.

As of Tuesday, there were 50 marine mammals at the center.

“This is the worst we’ve seen at the center,” Starr said, “and we have

been here for over 30 years.”

FYI

Friends of the Sea Lion is in desperate need of money, supplies and

volunteers. The center is at 20612 Laguna Canyon Road. Information:

(949)494-3050 or online at o7 www.fslmmc.orgf7 .

* Deepa Bharath is a reporter for Times Community News. She may be

reached at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at o7

[email protected] .

* Suzie Harrison is a reporter for Times Community News. She may be

reached at (949) 494-4321.