Rescuers are responding to a surge in sea lions sickened by domoic acid, a neurotoxin produced by naturally occurring harmful algal blooms. The Marine Mammal Center says it has already rescued more than 150 sea lions with domoic acid poisoning this year — more than twice its typical annual total.
But elsewhere along the coast, many are struggling. That includes the animals that are brought into Sausalito's Marine Mammal Center, the world's largest marine mammal hospital and a non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing sick, injured, or abandoned marine mammals.
That story, he said, is about a severe outbreak of domoic acid poisoning — and potentially about changes taking place in the ocean.
One sea lion found at San Francisco's Crissy Field this week was displaying symptoms including head weaving and bobbing before it eventually died from domoic acid poisoning.
"It can cause lesions on the brain," Rulli said.
Researchers are studying what may be contributing to the current outbreak.
"Because of the El Niño you have warming, which probably helps the harmful bloom," Costa said. "And then that domoic acid gets released, fish eat it, and then it biomagnifies in the fish."
"The conditions are more favorable up here for fish," he said.
"Then so you've got these poor little pups sitting on the beach starving to death," Costa said.
"The best thing we can do is to reduce human activities that put pollutants in the water," Costa said.
The health department spokesperson added that serious illness or death can result if contaminated seafood is consumed by humans. They advise consumers to check current seafood advisories and fishery closures before eating locally caught seafood.
Justin Hodges said the number of calls involving sick sea lions has increased three to six times in recent weeks.
Each rescue can require a team of four to six people, sometimes moving an animal weighing more than 300 pounds.
With more calls than responders can immediately handle, the center has been forced to triage cases based on the animal's condition, location and available personnel.
"It always hits home. It's disturbing. It's highly emotional," Rulli said. "You can feel quite helpless, especially when there's an outbreak happening of this magnitude."
On Thursday, the center released three rescued sea lions back into the wild.
"This work can be challenging yet incredibly rewarding," Hodges said.
For rescuers, each successful release is a small victory during an overwhelming season — and one more sea lion given the chance to return home.
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