Whales, dolphins and other marine mammals are Wash up died along the Californian coast.
A team from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has collected more than 50 dolphins since March, and four whales have been washed on the ground in the counties of southern California.
After examining the animals, scientists discovered that animals were the victims of neurotoxins produced by a flowering of harmful algae. Neurotoxins can affect the nervous system, sometimes causing death.
“Hundreds of additional dolphins and sea lions have also died in other regions of California since the first impacts of Domoic acid was detected near Los Angeles in February,” said Noaa in a update this week.
The NOAA said that its impacts were not likely to affect dolphins or sea lions at the population level. More than a million common dolphins with short beaks live around the Golden State, in addition to around 250,000 California sea lions.
This sea lion stranded in Oxnard, it is suspected of suffering from poisoning in Domo acid (Getty Images)
Most dolphins were common dolphins with long adult males, with a few common dolphins with short beaks. However, two were pregnant women.
“The details provide an instantaneous how the flowering of the harmful in progress affects one of the most popular sections on the southern coast of California. Of the 14 dolphins tested so far, 11 have had high levels of Domo acid,” said Noaa. “One has shown both domoic acid and saxitoxin, a different neurotoxin produced by another marine microorganism which causes a paralytic poisoning of crustaceans.”
Domoic acid is produced by a type of algae called Pseudo-Nitzschia Australis. The growth of algae can be motivated by the rise in the wind of deep ocean waters. Neurotoxin accumulates in fish, which are consumed by marine mammals. Neurotoxin then attacks the brain and the heart, causing convulsions and permanent brain damage. Animals can be treated with liquids if they are taken care of before significant damage occurs – although there are few things that the first stakeholders can do to help dolphins.
This event may have been the result of the update in mid-February, when the first marine life was affected near Malibu.
In March, the Noaa said there was Over 100 calls per day People reporting sea lions and dolphins affected by Domo acid.
The decomposition corpse of a gray whale was washed on the ground on Huntington Beach at the beginning of the month (AFP via Getty Images)
“We have to make a sorting on the beach while we try to identify these animals where we have the greatest chance of making a difference,” said John Warner, Managing Director of the Marine Mammal Care Center in Los Angeles.
Beach enthusiasts should remain at least 50 meters from the affected animals and report marine mammals blocked at the hotline of the west coast marine mammals network (866) 767-6114.
This marks the fourth consecutive year with a flowering of harmful algae left from southern California, and the current proliferation began earlier in the year than previous flowers. As ocean temperatures increase, these harmful flowers become more frequent and more intense.
“This makes an emotional assessment on the ground,” said Warner. “Year after year, it becomes difficult. Each of our organizations strives to go to as many animals as possible, but we do not have the resources to save everyone. ”
