Scientists revealed the cause of death of a small minced whale trapped in a port in Long Beach earlier this month for several days, according to media reports.
Officials with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration confirmed Monday to the LA Times that, like many other marine creatures along the Southern California coast, the whale had recently died of domain acid poisoning.
The whale captured the hearts of many people that followed its tragic story. This was believed to have arrived at the harbor at the start of April, midnight, when the tide was high, according to NOAA.
The subsequent evenings the current continued to drop, and NOAA officials theorized that this was the reason why the whales had not left on their own. The whales had no visible injuries or injuries, but they looked healthy at first.
The mobile phone video captures a mink whale that appears to be stuck at a marina in Long Beach on April 3, 2025. He took a track and field trip at Long Beach on Sunday, April 6th, 2025. (Photo from KTLA Viewer) Dead Whale Wash Washed in Long Beach on Sunday, April 6, 2025
At one point, the crew had removed obstacles from the port in hopes of encouraging the whales to leave.
It was not immediately revealed when the whales first got sick from ingestion or addiction, but the mammal, said to be in teens, met a sad ending when viewers found it on the beach on April 6th.
Experts say domo acids are naturally occurring toxins in algae that are potentially lethal to algae. Last month, authorities warned the public that toxic algae, which had already affected the mammal population this year, had bloomed, but showed no signs of calm.
The Times interviewed Michael Milstein, a spokesman for NOAA’s West Coast Regional Office. He said their test results showed high levels of domoacid in the whale’s urine at the time of its death.
“This is in line with many other marine mammals affected by domoacids produced by the harmful algae bloom off the coast of Southern California, which was first detected in February,” Milstein said. “The lab does so much work, so testing takes time.”
This is the fourth year in a row, but there has been a domo acid event, but Milstein says it has started much earlier and has affected hundreds of sea lions and dolphins so far.
In March, officials in Los Angeles at the Marine Mammal Care Center said recent testing showed increased levels of domoacid-producing algae. “We expect it to just get worse,” the center said in a statement.
Channel Islands Marina and Wildlife Institute (CIMWI) said water temperatures within coastal ecosystems, increased exposure to sunlight and increased nutrients contribute to the bloom of toxic algae.
“This was probably the toughest thing, especially at the beginning of the year,” Milstein told the Times. “How long it lasts is a question.”
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