(KRON)– A sea lion that appeared to be sick and in distress at San Francisco’s Crissy Field has died, according to Marine Mammal Center.
In videos obtained by KRON4, the sea lion can be seen swaying its head back and forth, then lying down on a log, appearing sick.
In the video, the large animal can be seen lying on the sand, very close to beachgoers.
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The Marine Mammal Center said they sent a responder to Crissy Field to educate people nearby about what is happening to the sea lion and how to stay safe in the vicinity of wildlife.
Although the cause of the sea lion’s death has yet to be officially confirmed, there have been many similar incidents where sea lions show similar symptoms due to domoic acid poisoning, a naturally occurring toxin produced by algae that can build up in fish and shellfish eaten by marine mammals.
The Marine Mammal Center said it has responded to an unusually high number of cases, with more than 100 sea lions rescued since the beginning of the year, with the majority occurring since July 1…