Reports of sick sea lions are spiking, Central Coast wildlife rescue group says. Here’s why

The Channel Islands Marine & Wildlife Institute has received an influx of calls reporting sick sea lions, which is a result of domoic acid poisoning.

The Central Coast nonprofit organization, which has a rescue facility in Gaviota, focuses on marine wildlife in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.

“We are responding to 50 to 100 calls a day with multiple reports on individual animals,” CIMWI members wrote in an Instagram post.

Domoic acid is a naturally occurring toxin, related to a “bloom” of a particular single-celled plant called Pseudo-nitzschia that grows in crustaceans, fish and shellfish, according to the California Department of Public Health.

The conditions that support the growth of this toxin are impossible to predict, and threaten the health of marine mammals, seabirds, and even humans through severe and long-term low-level exposure through the food web. Domoic acid damages the brain and heart.

According to CIMWI, visible signs of domoic acid toxicity include swaying back and forth in an aimless manner, head bobbing, foaming at the mouth, bulging eyes, muscle spasms seizures, inability to move out of the water, unresponsiveness and potentially death. The amount of length of exposure to the toxins will impact the degree of these symptoms.

There is no known cure of domoic acid poisoning. However, the toxin is often eliminated through urination after 72 hours.

When CIMWI receives reports of sick sea lions, staff will often leave the sea lions on the beach and have volunteers monitor their progress. In severe cases, sea lions will be removed from their habitat to be treated.

In May and June, local wildlife rescue centers were inundated with sick pelicans, and that crisis was caused by starvation, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife determined.

How to help

The Channel Island Marine & Wildlife Institute has guidelines on how to help a marine animal that may need care. Wild animals may respond aggressively or bite if they are approached.

It is important to stay 50 feet away – the length of a school bus — and keep your pet on a leash, Take note of the animal’s physical characteristics as well as the location of the animal, including any physical landmarks.

Then call the institute’s rescue hotline at 805-567-1505 and provide your name, phone number, specific information about the animal and its location.

This story was originally published August 26, 2022 at 10:01 AM.