An unusually large number of confused marine mammals that have been diagnosed with poisonous algae flowers have been discovered along the coast of Southern California, and 2025 could be the most deadly year ever.
It has been appearing for the fourth year in a row when algae blooms from California coasts, including Malibu and Dockweiler Beach. A neurological toxin called algae domain acids has already made dozens of sea lions and elephant seals sick, absorbing the care of the Marines.
Algae flowers are a natural phenomenon, but over the past four years they have been spreading more intense and widespread due to water temperatures, rescue groups said.
This year, compared to 2023, algae will begin in early February.
In 2023, the Marine Mammal Care Center had the care of 70 sea lions by July. In early March 2025, the center is already almost half full.
“We have room for about 120 animals and are already at 50 plus,” said John Warner, CEO of the Marine Mammal Care Center. “This could soon become a real capacity issue where we run out of space. That’s what happened in 2023.”
At Paradise Cove in Malibu, we discovered adult sea lions in California showing signs of domain acid toxicity. Credit: Marine Mammal Care Center
Animal rescue groups have adopted up to eight sea lions or marine mammals a day in recent weeks, Warner said.
Marine biology experts also fear that algae flowers will affect mammal conservation. The Channel Islands are breeding grounds for nearly 85% of all sea lions in California, so many women are unable to carry the entire period of pregnancy.
“Their bodies are so destroyed that they will be cancelled with miscarriages and fetuses,” explains Warner. “We don’t know what the long-term effects of this seizure activity and neurotoxin will be, but this year we have low birth rates in the Channel Islands.”
There is a lack of scientific data explaining what could intensify algae blooming, but experts may have something to do with the fire-fueling agents that were used to scare away ashes from the Los Angeles wildfires, or even the fire-fueling agents used to extinguish fires.
“Both fire, brush and organic ingredients definitely contribute to that,” Warner explained. “Fire extinguishing agents are something we really need to understand more about what we’re doing with this particular damage and not.”
As more people head towards the beaches in the spring and summer next year, the mammal centre is updating warnings about interactions with threaded animals on the beach.
“When you have an animal with neurological toxins and has a seizure, you destined for the animal, by taking selfies, nibbling, or leaving children,” Warner said. “Spring is especially when these animals are breeding. When you literally get stressed out by interfering with them, it’s life and death.”
When finding isolated animals, people are encouraged to report it to the Marine Mammal Care Center at 1-800-39-Whale.
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