Toxic algae bloom killing dolphins and other marine animals along SoCal coast, experts say

LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Dozens of marine animals, including an unprecedented number of dolphins, are dying due to a toxic algae bloom now stretching from San Diego to San Luis Obispo. The entire shoreline is an extreme danger zone due to a neurotoxin called domoic acid or DA.

This is the fourth year in a row that this has happened, and experts say this is the worst yet.

A map from the Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System shows the high amount of domoic acid at the center of the toxic algae bloom now engulfing the Southern California coast and killing numerous animals.

“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, the CEO of the Marine Mammal Care Center in Los Angeles.

In the past week, there have been more than 50 dead and dying dolphins found along the L.A. County coast. There were 16 in San Diego on Sunday alone.

“It’s really been consistently severe, the number of animals coming up on the beaches, either with seizures or dead or dying, has continued at a pretty high rate,” said Michael Milstein with NOAA Fisheries, West Coast Region.

Sea lions are traditionally the main victims of a toxic algae bloom, which can cause them to turn aggressive and attack beachgoers. But now, the toxic algae bloom is moving further up the food chain.