NEUROTOXIN POISONING OF SEA LIONS ALONG CALIFORNIA COAST : MARINE MAMMAL CARE CENTERS WORKING HARD TO SAVE LIVES

LA TIMES : NEUROTIN IS POISONING LARGE NUMBERS OF SEA LIONS - CALIFORNIA COAST 

Excerpt: "The levels we're finding inside these animals is off the charts," said Giancarlo Rulli, a spokesman for the Sausalito - based Marine Mammal Center.  "It's all hands on deck."

Domoic acid is a neurotoxin released by Pseudo-nitzschia, a common phytoplankton species found in coast waters.  Sea lions - and other marine mammals - become poisoned when they eat large amounts of fish or invertebrates that have been chowing on the contaminated diatoms.

Symptoms include lethargy, vomiting, unusual behavior, seizures, loss of pregnancy, and death. 

Excerpt: Raphe Kudela, a professor of ocean science at UC Santa Cruz, said there might also be a connection to heat and runoff from inland rivers.

He said in the last few years, really wet winters have contributed to an increase in river runoff - and a resulting dump of nutrients into California's coastal waters.

"So you get a pulse of upwelling, which brought some cool water with even more nutrients to the surface, and then everything warmed up.  That's just absolutely perfect conditions for a bloom like this," he said.

It's also a perfect recipe for creatures like sardines and anchovies, who feast of the diatoms, algae and phytoplankton in these cool, nutrient-rich waters.  And those fish bring in predators, such as sea lions, dolphins, fur seals, bords and other fish that then proceed to feast on these "toxic bullets."

DON'T PICK UP THAT SEAL LION PUP ! MOM IS OUT HUNTING!

SEAGRANT : OREGON STATE EDU : SEA LIONS AND SEALS IN OREGON 

Lots of good information here!

Excerpt:   People often find harbor seal pups on the beach and pick them up, thinking the pups have been abandoned. Usually, they are not abandoned. The mothers are just out hunting or watching nearby. Human handling has caused many seals to be orphaned. There are no rehabilitation facilities in Oregon for seals, so if you find a seal pup—or any marine mammal—on the beach, the best thing you can do is leave it alone. If you see someone harassing a seal, call the Oregon State Police.

NOAA PRINTABLE VALENTINES for the OCEAN CONSCIOUS

Free for you to download - NOAA Valentines....

Here's the link! NOAA EDU: DOWNLOAD PRINTABLE VALENTINES

ROSES ARE RED

THE OCEAN IS BLUE

THIS SEA TURTLE WANTED

TO SAY HI TO YOU!

NEW YORK CITY - CONEY ISLAND -WCS AQUARIUM

NEW YORK AQUARIUM 

Yes, this aquarium does pride itself on conservation.  Here is what they have to say for themselves.

Through acoustic/satellite tagging and monitoring of several species of sharks and great whales in the New York seascape, we’re helping to guide and inform fisheries and management policies. We’re conducting long-term ecological monitoring and developing management plans for American eel and river herring as part of ongoing restoration of the Bronx River. We’re helping to secure the protection of critical habitat including the Hudson Canyon, an underwater marine marvel that rivals the Grand Canyon in scale and majesty. It’s home to an astonishing array of fish, marine mammals, invertebrates, and cold-water corals. This includes the development of the first national marine sanctuary in the mid-Atlantic. And our citizen science programs encourage the public to explore local beaches and waters, and contribute data to support marine biodiversity.

THE WCS NEW YORK AQUARIUM IS PART OF AN EFFORT TO SAVE WILDLIFE THAT BEGAN 120 YEARS AGO WITH THE CREATION OF THE NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY, AN ORGANIZATION FOUNDED ON SCIENCE AND HOPE WHICH HAS SINCE GROWN TO BECOME THE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY.

MARINE MAMMAL CENTER - SAUCILITO : WORLDS LARGEST MAMMAL HOSPITAL JUST NORTH OF THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE

MARINE MAMMAL CENTER : SAUCILITO 

This one requires tickets that are free but must be reserved on line to control the numbers of people coming through to watch what happens behind the scenes.  

Patients are seasonal... During pupping season there are usually elephant seal and California sea lion pups.  Harbor seal pups are not on view due to their sensitivity to human's except on behind the scenes tours.  

PACIFIC MARINE MAMMAL CARE CENTER : PINNIPED HOSPITAL IN LAGUNA BEACH, CALIFORNIA

PACIFIC MMC ORG : CALL IF YOU SEE A SICK SEA LION  Located in Laguna Beach, Southern California.

If you see an animal who is ill, perhaps showing signs of the recent algea bloom toxicity, do not push them back into the water or get near them. 

According to PMMC the most common Pinnipeds to Southern California are Northern elephant seals, Pacific harbor seals, and California sea lions.  Occasionally, the treat Northern fur seals.  PMMC is also the only temporary holding facilities for small whales and dolphins between Santa Barbara and San Diego.

AT LEAST 500 SEA LIONS and 100 DOLFINS DEAD FROM PACIFIC COAST TOXIC ALGAE BLOOM

Excerpt:   There is no antidote or specific remedy for domoic acid poisoning   Veterinarians have been giving some animals antiseizure medicine and keeping them hydrated in hopes that the toxins will flush out of their bodies.  The problem is that the longer the toxins are in an animal's system, the more difficult it becomes to treat the poisoning. 

NPR: Sick and Dying Sea Lions - SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COAST

MALE SEA LIONS HAVE GOTTEN BIGGER OVER THE LAST FIFTY YEARS! UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA MARINE SCIENCE

Usually as a population grows, the sea lions get smaller.  However just published in Current Biology, is a report from University of California at Santa Cruz.

Excerpt:  It's counterintuitive.  You would expect that their body size would decrease as dietary resource competition intensified," said coauthor Paul Koch, professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at UCSC.

The number of California sea lions has increased dramatically since the Marine Mammal Protection Act was passed in 1972.  In parts of their range, the sea lions may now be approaching the ecological "carrying capacity," the largest number of animals an ecosystem can support.

NEWS-UCSC EDU : 2024 SEA LIONS

Excerpt: "We found that the male California sea lions have expanded their ecological niche, which means they are now foraging on a more diversified group of prey and expanding the places where they are foraging on a more diversified group ogf prey and expanding the places where they are foraging," Valenzuela-Toro said.  "Apparently they are now going farther north than they used to.....

**** Scientists looked at the skulls of sea lions...

MARINE MAMMAL CARE CENTER : GIVE THE SICK SEA LIONS A HOLIDAY PRESENT

MARINE MAMMAL CARE ; San Pedro, California  the only year-round marine animal hospital in Los Angeles County, admitting an average 350 animal patients per year, and serving from Malibu to Seal Beach - 70 miles of coastline.  YOU CAN ALSO VISIT TO SEE THE ANIMALS...

"We actively seek out strategic partnerships to expand awareness for the work we do.  One example is our participation as one of the primary care facilities in the Oiled Wildlife Care Network, which consists o 36 other wildlife rehabilitation organizations working under the California Department of Fish and Wildlife's Office of Spill Prevention and Response.  In the event of an oil spill, MMCC will stablize, wash and care for affected marine mammals."

This organization also works with ocean conservation organizations such as Atla sea, Oceana, the Sea Change Agency, Cabrillo Aquarium, and other mammal care centers.

WINTER ANIMALS ON ICE

Which one is the WALRUS?

 

HERE'S LOOKING AT YOU!

 

PINNIPEDS

 

SEA LIONS

 

SLICK THE OLDEST SEAL LION - 30 YEARS OLD - DIES IN MILWAUKEE ZOO

WISCONSIN : OLDEST SEA LION - 30 YEARS OLD - DIES IN MILWAUKEE ZOO

EXCERPT  He was the dominate male at Oceans of Fun, the marine mammal conservation and education facility, and sired 8 pups. Slick had an affinity for people, zoo officials said, and he enjoyed being with his trainers for daily back-rubs and affection.

SEA LION NIBBLING ON DIVER FINS

DAILY MAIL - SEA LIONS NIBBLING ON DIVER'S FIN

EXCERPT: The diver reckons the sea lion didn't want to actually eat the fin - rather, it was the animal's version of playing.

DOLPHINS FEEDING IN THE SEA KELP - WATCHING FOR WHALES

Though not in earnest, I've been looking over the sea cliff to see what I can see.  In the last week I met a couple people who said they saw migrating whales in the Pacific near enough to shore.  So I'm inspired to keep looking.

I think maybe I saw a small black whale or two feeding in the kept beds.  I'm pretty sure I wasn't seeing a skin diver in a black wet suit because of the arch of back.  But to identify these would be impossible, just to say the black was black.

This morning - a small pod of dolphins - grey - and the cry of a single sea lion.

THE GREAT SELKIE OF SULE SKERRY

Many thanks to those who participated in making the clip; Eleanor Evans, Ben Warner and Rodney Clancy.

This song and animation is an accompaniment to my novel for readers of 10 to 100, Sealskin Coast, released May 2014 by IFWG Publishing Australia www.ifwgaustralia.com, which is a depiction of the selkie myth in a modern, southern hemisphere setting." Illustrator Rowena Evans

SEA LION - CREATIVE CREATURE ART

SEA LIONS and a CLIPPER SHIP

SEA LIONS HAULED OUT - BARKING

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