100+ Sea Lions Rescued Amid Southern California Algae Bloom

At least 140 sea lions have been rescued since Feb. 20 in Malibu along the coast of Southern California. Lifeless dolphins are also washing ashore, and sick birds are showing up, too. “There is an active algae bloom right now off of Southern California,” John Warner, CEO of the Marine Mammal Care Center in the Los Angeles area, said in an interview. Warner added that the bloom is already worse than one in 2023 that was considered the most impactful to ever be recorded in the area. The algae poisons sea life and can make animals like sea lions more aggressive to humans. It also causes seizures, lethargy and other issues that can make it difficult for animals to survive.