Brown Pelicans across southern California fill fauna, sick or hungry rehabilitation centers – a double crisis which, according to fauna experts, could be linked to a flowering of massive toxic algae.
During the last month, hundreds of sea birds were poisoned by Domoic acid, a neurotoxin produced in harmful algae proliferations that are consumed by filtering food fish, such as anchovies and sardines. Small fish are not affected by toxins, but many sea birds and marine mammals that feed on the fish are, and the disease can be deadly. More than 100 sea lions in the region have been overshadowed and killed by toxins in recent months, as well as several dozen dolphins who have died.
During the last month, hundreds of sea birds were poisoned by Domo acid, a neurotoxin produced by harmful algae flowers.
(Newt Liker / Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center)
More recently, officials have also responded to an influx of Pélicans babies who are not sick of toxins – but who have trouble surviving because they are extremely badly fed.
The managers believe that the two phenomena are linked: as adult pelicans are getting sick, disoriented or die, which has left more and more baby Pelicans to fend for themselves, leaving their nests prematurely when they do not yet know how to fish.
It’s just a theory at the moment, but experts say that it would help explain the unprecedented number of hungry Pelicans babies that arise in fauna rescue centers.
“It is unusual for us to receive such a high volume of chicks that are also young,” wrote the International Bird Rescue, a global conservation organization that has one of its largest fauna rescue centers in San Pedro, on its website. “Many are very young birds, not completely cultivated and do not seem to understand how to eat.”
“They are just hungry and cold and sad,” said Rebecca Duerr, director of research and veterinary sciences at the center. At his location in San Pedro, the specialists took care of 60 babies Pelican on Tuesday, with more arrival every day, said Duerr. This is added to around 50 other birds, many adult pelicans, which entered the center in the last month due to poisoning with domoic acid. Among the poisoned birds, more than half have died since.
“We continue to think that it’s over and then we get more birds,” said Duerr about the influx.
There have been other moments in recent years when the brown Pelicans of California, a species protected by the federal government, have been found dead or emaciated in large numbers, and other years when a large number of animals fell ill from home automation because the flowering of algae is natural. But this year’s simultaneous events are particularly concerning civil servants.
Debbie McGuire, executive director of Wetlands and Wildlife Care Care Care in Huntington Beach, said that she thought that the runoff of the County Firestorm in January has probably raised the flowering of this year, as changes in nutrient levels in the ocean can increase the strength and duration of flowering. Scientists have also found that climate change and warming of ocean waters can increase the growth of harmful proliferations of algae. Managers do not yet know how long this flowering will last.
McGuire has said that it does not remember an era in the last 20 years when its organization has treated so many birds with poisoning at homemade home, noting that it tests the workforce and the ability of the center.
The Wet Zones and Wildlife Center in Huntington Beach is struggling to follow the number of brown Pelicans needing care.
(Newt Liker / Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center)
“My staff have been burning the midnight oil for a month now,” said McGuire. “It is difficult for them – a lot of compassion and love enters our work.”
On Wednesday, his team took care of nearly 60 brown Pélicans, with seven new birds arriving in the previous 24 hours. Most sick and hungry birds require intensive care, including often anti-sugar drugs, IV or lessons on how to feed. However, more than 50% of the Pelicans they took in the last month died, because birds overshadowed by domoic acid cannot be saved if the disease has progressed too far.
“If we get them fairly quickly, we can save them, but time is gasoline,” said McGuire.
The two centers said that people had found disoriented birds in unexpected and often dangerous places in the last month, including on the 405 Freeway, on a terminal at Los Angeles International Airport and near Amazon warehouses.
Birds “do not know where they are, they are confused, they fly inside the land,” said McGuire.
The two rescue centers also deal with other sickness -acid -domo acid birds, including Western Greebes, Brandt’s corlusions and red throat humans, but brown Pelicans were most often sick. None of the two locations has yet reached capacity, but McGuire said it was a concern if the situation continues at current rates.
Debbie McGuire, Executive Director of Wetlands and Wildlife Care Care in Huntington Beach, said that she does not remember a period in the last 20 years when her organization has treated so many birds with intoxication to home-given home acid, noting that she tests the workforce and the ability of the center.
(Newt Liker / Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center)
In a recent article on social networks, the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Care has requested monetary donations or articles on their wishes list to ensure that they can continue to provide the care that animals need. International Bird Rescue also asked for donations to help him respond to what he called a Seabird crisis.
“Stress is high because we care about more than 52 Pélicans, many of whom do not yet eat alone, without any clear sign of slowdown,” said the center of wetland care and fauna in its Monday article. McGuire said that this number had since exceeded 60.
The managers warned the lovers of beaches to use extreme caution as you approach any sick or dead animal, including sea birds. If you meet one in the county of Los Angeles, the rescue of international birds urged people to call the organization’s assistance line to (866) 767-2473. The Wetlands and Wildlife Care Care, which serves Orange County, recommended people to call their local animal control office or find more information online.
The staff writer Summer Lin contributed to this report.
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