What's killing the pinnipeds?

[melfox26]

I've seen more dead/dying harbor seals in the past month than I have in the past 4 years and 100+ Monterey dives.

1. Dead harbor seal washed up at Breakwater, a Sunday around 3 weeks ago
2. Unrecognizable carcass at Lover's Point Cove 1, 12/18.
3. Found 2 dead harbor seals at the Metridium Fields, night dive 12/18. Pretty freaky when my light first found them. Seastars were all over their faces, probably chewing on their eyes.
4. Dying harbor seal that had beached itself at South Monastery, 12/19.

Didn't see any chunks taken out of them, anyone know of a reason, or have I just been fortunate enough to not see all the pinniped death in the past?

Mel

 

[Drewpy]

I was wondering the same thing..? Saw two dead ones this sat-one at BW and another at the metridiums..what gives..? Dr Bill..?Archman..?
These were both sealions BTW..

 

[whalerkyle]

I saw 6 dead floating sea lions one day here in so call. All six were missing their heads. We were 20 miles off the coast of So Cal. Ill try and find the pictures.

 

[Drewpy]

I just read on another board that they think it is some kind of kidney infection..??
Whalerkyle-I would have been freaking if these were headless.. :11:
There didnt appear to be any trauma to them at all?

 

[kjundvr]

I know several people from Moss Landing Marine Labs and from what they have said there has been a bloom of the alge Pseudo-nitzschia, which produces a powerful neurotoxin. This toxin works its way up the food chain once it reaches the higher order species, birds and marine mammals it caused brain lesions to form changing the behavior of the animal, eventualy leading to death. This bloom occured some months ago but there is a lag time from bloom to changing behavior. The resons the washed up animals appear chewed up could be scavaging by sharks etc once the animal has died. Of cource there is always natural death and predation.

 

[mech]

I saw two today.
They looked like juvenile sea lions.
One was mid way down the break water wall on the bottom and the other was at the Metridian fields on the bottom.

 

[JustinW]

i have seen dead seals at breakwater before, and several years ago saw a dead porpoise out in the bay, about 10 miles out.

 

[archman]

I know several people from Moss Landing Marine Labs and from what they have said there has been a bloom of the alge Pseudo-nitzschia, which produces a powerful neurotoxin. .

If it's a biomagnified toxin, tissue samples from a necropsy will show it. We'll have to just wait and see.

 

[drbill]

Haven't noticed a problem down in my neck of the ocean, but then sea lions don't frequent the area I dive most frequently. Yesterday we did see a rather boisterous juvenile swimming right along the Dive Park's boundary line.

Dr. Bill

 

[CALI68]

Yea it's sad we saw a huge dead Sea Lion at The Metredium Fields. It was like the poor thing went there to die.