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  Yahoo News 9 May 07
Toxic acid blamed in deaths of seabirds

Yahoo News 29 Apr 07
More marine animals sickened by acid

Yahoo News 27 Apr 07
Algae killing birds, sealife in California

Yahoo News 27 Apr 07
Birds, dolphins, sea-lions sickened, killed by algae in California

A morass of toxic ocean algae swamping sections of California's coastline has sickened hundreds of birds, sea lions and dolphins, environmentalists said Friday.

Animal protection agencies have reported a sharp increase in fatalities and illnesses amongst wildlife because of the thick "blooms" of algae that have appeared in the state's coastal waters.

The International Bird Rescue Research Center in San Pedro compared the environmental impact of the algae to an oil spill, saying in a statement that several species of animals had been affected.

"I have been doing this work for 35 years and I have never seen anything like this as far as the number of species affected, other than an oil spill," IBRRC director Jay Holcomb said. "We have very serious concerns about what is happening to seabirds, and how it may affect populations."

Animals are being sickened by domoic acid, a naturally-occurring microscopic algae. Birds and sea mammals ingest the toxin by consuming fish and shellfish which consume the algae.

Although algae blooms appear every year, environmentalists say this year's crop is unusually thick and appears to be carrying higher concentrations of the acid, making it deadlier than normal.

Exact numbers of the animals were not immediately available, but individual agencies reported dozens of cases.

Debbie McGuire, the director of the Wetland and Wildlife Care Center in Huntington Beach, south of Los Angeles, told AFP her center had seen 78 deaths from the algae since Sunday, with 11 more animals still being treated.

"We've had outbreaks before but it just seems to be a little bit more potent this time around," McGuire said.

Most concern focused around California brown pelicans, an endangered species, McGuire said. Symptoms of birds poisoned by domoic acid were disorientation, head bobbing, she added.

"We had one report of a bird sitting in a car park of a supermarket when of course they should be at the beach or in the ocean," McGuire said.

Holcomb said domoic poisoning caused birds to have seizures while flying, causing them to drop out of the sky. He said he believes many seabirds suffer seizures at sea and drown, and that the death toll could be far higher.

Emily Wing, a director at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach, southern California, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Los Angeles, said 22 animals, including a dolphin, had been treated at the center.

"So far 11 of the animals brought into the center have died," Wing told AFP, adding that most of the cases involved pregnant adult female sea lions. "Because they are pregnant they are consuming more food, so they have higher concentrations of the toxin in their system," she said. "In several cases it has been too late for us to treat them. A few animals have died on the way here."

An outbreak of domoic-acid carrying algae in 2002 and 2003 in California killed or sickened more than 1,000 sea lions and around 50 dolphins, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Yahoo News 27 Apr 07
Algae killing birds, sealife in California

A bloom of ocean algae that produces a toxic acid has sickened and killed hundreds of birds, sea lions and dolphins in California, environmentalists said. Birds and animals have been washing up on shores from San Diego to San Francisco Bay.

In the past week, 40 birds have been taken to the International Bird Rescue Center in San Pedro with symptoms of domoic acid poisoning, which attacks the brain and can cause seizures.

In previous seasons, the center might see seven birds a week, director Jay Holcomb said. "I have been doing this work for 35 years and I have never seen anything like this as far as the number of species affected, other than an oil spill," Holcomb said Thursday.

Domoic acid is produced by microscopic algae. Birds and sea mammals ingest the acid by eating fish and shellfish who dine on the algae.

The algae population increases or "blooms" every year as the ocean waters warm but this year's bloom seems early, extensive and "very, very thick," said David Caron, who teaches in the biological sciences department at University of Southern California.

"In five years of study I have not seen a bloom this large at this particular time of year," Caron said. "It's having an extraordinary impact on pelicans and many other species." "There are conceivably thousands of animals being affected," Caron said.

The Wetland and Wildlife Care Center in Huntington Beach had received 73 sick or dead birds since Sunday, assistant director Lisa Birkle said. The toxin has been swifter and deadlier than usual, she said.

"The concentration of the toxin is so great this year that we haven't had a chance to react to it," Birkle said. "Normally we're able to flush out the toxin with a treatment regimen ... This year they're just coming in dead."

Fourteen sea lions have been treated for domoic acid poisoning at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach. Seven died, said Michele Hunter, the center's director.

Humans can't be harmed by swimming in algae blooms but consuming fish and shellfish tainted with the acid can cause nausea, seizures and even death. The state Department of Health Services issued a warning against eating sport-harvested shellfish, anchovies, sardines, and both sports-harvested and commercially caught lobsters and crabs.

The warning came early this year. The advisory usually runs from May 1 to Oct. 31.

A domoic outbreak in 2002 and 2003 sickened or killed more than a thousand sea lions and 50 dolphins, said Joe Cordaro, a biologist with the National Marine Fisheries Services.

Yahoo News 29 Apr 07
More marine animals sickened by acid

Rescuers worked Saturday to save more dead and dying dolphins and sea lions that have washed up on Southern California beaches, believed poisoned by a naturally occurring toxic acid.

A bloom of ocean algae that produces domoic acid may be responsible for killing or sickening dozens of the sea mammals, including birds, in recent weeks, environmentalists said.

On Friday state health officials warned consumers against eating certain locally harvested shellfish and seafood because they may be contaminated with the acid.

At least four sea lions were found Saturday on shores in Marina del Rey, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach and Venice, said Peter Wallerstein of the Whale Rescue Team. "We've done at least 35 rescues in the past couple weeks," Wallerstein said. "The local marine care center is at full capacity and they are putting restrictions on how many animals we can bring in."

Another six dolphins have been picked off the beach in the past six days, he said, and about 110 animals have been rescued this year, he added. All were either dead, comatose or suffering from seizures.

Officials said consumers should avoid sport-harvested shellfish, sardines, anchovies, lobsters and crabs caught off the coast between Santa Barbara and Orange County. Dogs, cats and other pets also should not be fed the products, the state Department of Health Services said.

In the past week, 40 birds have been taken to the International Bird Rescue Center in San Pedro with symptoms of domoic acid poisoning, which attacks the brain and can cause seizures.

In previous seasons, the center might see seven birds a week, director Jay Holcomb said. The algae population goes through an annual increase as ocean waters warm, but biologists say this year's bloom is especially early and extensive.

A similar outbreak in 2002 and 2003 sickened or killed more than a thousand sea lions and 50 dolphins.

Yahoo News 9 May 07
Toxic acid blamed in deaths of seabirds

An algae bloom in Southern California coastal waters has produced record levels of a toxic acid, scientists reported Wednesday.

The chemical has been blamed in the deaths of numerous marine mammals and seabirds in recent months. Measurements from four coastal stations last month found the highest domoic acid concentrations at 27 micrograms per liter, said David Caron of the University of Southern California.

"I have never seen these kind of numbers before," Caron said.

Last year, the highest levels stood at 12 micrograms per liter. Recent measurements taken this month found the toxin levels had substantially declined, suggesting the seasonal algae bloom may have peaked, Caron said.

Domoic acid is a naturally occurring chemical produced by microscopic algae. Birds and sea mammals ingest the acid by eating fish and shellfish that consume the algae.

People who eat fish and shellfish tainted with the acid can experience nausea, seizures and even death. Last month, state health officials warned consumers against eating certain locally harvested shellfish and seafood that may be tainted with domoic acid.

Environmentalists have been concerned by the number and variety of sea lions, dolphins and birds that have washed ashore between Santa Barbara and San Diego.

Some believe the dead and sick animals have been exposed to domoic acid poisoning. NOAA Fisheries, the federal agency that oversees ocean fishing, has deemed the recent deaths of common dolphins and whales in California an "unusual mortality event."

This would allow the agency to pour resources into determining what was causing the die-off. Although the investigation is ongoing, domoic acid is the prime suspect, said Joe Cordaro, a federal wildlife biologist.

Cordaro cautioned that it's too soon to gauge the severity of this season's algae bloom on mammals and birds. The bloom typically starts in the spring and lasts for three months through early summer.

"At this point, we don't know if it's worse than the 2002-2003 event," Cordaro said.

A domoic outbreak in 2002 and 2003 sickened or killed more than a thousand sea lions and 50 dolphins.
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