On the coast of California you must currently be afraid of sharks, but also to attacks by sea lions. The – mostly peaceful – animals have attacked different people in recent weeks. The reason for this is an algae blossom that poisoned the sea lions.
“He looked obsessed,” describes the California surfer RJ Lamendola de Sea Lion attack on him. The animal was “overgrown, almost demonic,” he writes on Facebook. The sea lion had bitten the branding in the leg. With this experience, however, Lamendola is not alone.
In southern California, a 15-year-old adolescent was also attacked by a sea lion, such as the American media report. First she had wrongly adopted a shark attack. The sea lion bit more times in her arms.
Sea lions are poisoned
But there is an explanation for the aggressive behavior of the animals: they suffer from algae poisoning. The flowering of the algae type of pseudo-nitzschia can give off a poison domo-acid. The problem with this: the poison collects in small fish and other marine animals. These are then eaten by sea lions. The algae now appeared for the fourth year in a row in California, fear that it could take place annually in the future.
GIF makes sea lions unpredictable
Poisoning can lead to serious memory, disorientation and damage to the central nervous system in the case of sea lions. As a result, the animals can no longer swim and their behavior becomes unpredictable – also aggressive.
Animals can get better again
If you are treated on time, you have a chance of 50 to 65 percent to become good again, John Warner, head of the Marine Mammal Care Center in Los Angeles, explains to the BBC. Sick animals are absorbed there, but currently people are overwhelmed by the amount of animals and the severity of the disease.
For treatment, the sea lions receive medication for attacks and sedation, followed by twice daily tube feeding and hydration.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
