Global Courant
A surge of sick and injured marine animals is pushing the Marine Mammal Care Center to its limits, jeopardizing the ability of the San Pedro-based veterinary and food shelter to provide needed care.
Without more financial help and volunteers, animals “might not be able to be rescued,” center director John Warner said at a news conference in Marina del Rey on Thursday.
“We need as many resources as possible to continue to care for animals, for marine mammals that have had to deal with this algal bloom,” he said.
The bloom of toxic algae overtook Southern California waters and killed or sickened more than 1,000 marine mammals last month, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
High concentrations of domoic acid – a neurotoxin produced by the marine algae pseudonitzchia — have been found in the waters of southern and central California, according to predictions from the NOAA and the Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System.
Sea lions, dolphins and even seabirds have become ill after eating small fish that eat the algae.
Warner said his organization is grateful for donations received amid “the biggest algae bloom ever.” But even though it’s only July, they’re $500,000 over budget.
Around this time last year, the center cared for 20 marine mammals. At the end of June, 113 such critters were cared for.
Warner said sick and injured marine mammals cared for by the center ate 50 tons of fish last year. He ordered an additional 25 tons of food this year, anticipating an increased need due to the likelihood of stormy El Niño weather, but that supply had run out by mid-June.
That forced him to two unforeseen orders of 25 tons each.
Warner — flanked by Los Angeles City Councilman Traci Park, County Department of Beaches and Harbors director Gary Jones, and staffers from County Supervisor Holly Mitchell’s office — demonstrated a 15-by-15-foot temporary overflow shelter along Marina Beach del Rey during Thursday’s press conference.
That staging area provides an outlet for a “maxed out” Marine Mammal Care Center, which as of June was dealing with 70 sea lions suffering from domoic acid poisoning.
Eight sea lions were recuperating in the extra space Thursday, but it has helped a total of about 35 marine mammals since it opened on June 23, Warner said.
After Warner asked for more help on June 21, Jones said Mitchell had “green-lighted” the emergency effort and established a safe zone for sea lions within 48 hours. Mitchell’s office also provided security during the Fourth of July to ensure that beachgoers would not interfere with the recovering animals.
Park’s office also reached out to volunteers through social media and newsletters. Most of the volunteers were locals, including about seven members of Park’s office, staffer Gabby Medina said.
Volunteers serve as guards and advise residents to keep their distance from the sea lions, not to harass them, and to keep their dogs on a leash.
“I am especially grateful to the local residents who have been running shifts from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to make sure our sea lions are not disturbed,” Warner said.
Warner said the Marine Mammal Care Center employs 17 people and would have been crippled without the help of volunteers. During this algal crisis, he said he easily got help from “at least 150 volunteers”.
Within the space of two weeks in June, Warner said his office’s lifeline received more than 1,000 calls, including reports of animals “biting hard and foaming at the mouth,” which he said were symptoms of domoic acid poisoning.
Despite these problems, sea lion survival rates were still 60% to 90%, admitting that “the animals were found at an early stage,” he said.
Warner said 120 sea lions have been treated and rescued at the center since the first full week of June. However, due to the persistent algae, he can’t put many back into the ocean.
Blooms normally disappear “four to six weeks after they start,” Warner said, but it’s unclear when the latter will happen.
Until that happens, Warner said, he will seek more help.
Times staff writer Summer Lin contributed to this report.
