Experts warn of unprecedented marine life deaths due to a spreading toxic algae bloom.
An alarming toxic algae bloom is wreaking havoc along the Southern California coast, with marine animals, including dolphins, suffering unprecedented deaths. Stretching from San Diego to San Luis Obispo , the bloom is releasing a deadly neurotoxin known as domoic acid (DA) , which has now claimed the lives of dozens of marine mammals.
This is the fourth consecutive year of such blooms, but experts are reporting that this year is the worst on record. The Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System has shown high concentrations of domoic acid in the bloom’s center, which is wreaking havoc on marine life.
Unprecedented Dolphin Strandings
The recent spike in strandings is concerning, with more than 50 dead or dying dolphins found along the Los Angeles County coastline in just the past week, and 16 in San Diego alone. “It’s the worst we’ve ever seen here in Southern California on many different fronts, but dolphin strandings, it’s unprecedented,” said John Warner , CEO of the Marine Mammal Care Center in Los Angeles…