Rescued Seal Beach Sea Lion Doesn't Pull Through

A Seal Beach rescue of a pregnant sea lion ended sadly this week after the sick animal had to be euthanized to stop its suffering, officials said.  

Lifeguards helped remove a female California Sea Lion — facing what was probably brain damage from toxic algae — had to be pulled from the jetty Monday morning.

Disoriented, the animal wedged itself in tight between the rocks, said Marine Safety Chief Joe Bailey, who helped with the rescue.

Three members of the Marine Safety Department — Bailey, Lifeguard Brandon Lutgendorf and Lt. Chris Pierce — as well as volunteers and a veterinary doctor from the Pacific Marine Mammal Center were on hand to help out. Center workers took the animal to the Laguna Beach headquarters for examination and treatment.

There have been a rash of injured and sick Sea Lions – mostly pups ages 1 and younger – up and down Orange County coast this year, according Keith Matassa, executive director at the center.

Matassa said sick or injured seals can be an indicator of something wrong in the water.

“These animals are sentinels of the ocean, “ Matassa said. “They’re a top-level predator, and they tell us a lot of about what’s going on in the environment.

Calling them “our first eyes on the beach,” Matassa praised local lifeguard agencies in their effort to help the injured animals.

There are a number of reasons to help the animals get back to sea or to a hospital, and its not just for their own safety, added Bailey.

“People want to get near them and try to help them, and they forget that it’s a wild animal that can bite them,” he said.

While normally workers name the creatures, the Seal Beach sea lion had serious brain damage and had to be put down before it could get a name, Matassa said.

“Not all the animals that come in here make it through, just like any human hospital and any veterinary hospital,” Matassa said. “Unfortunately, the sad truth is they euthanize the animals to end their suffering.”

Matassa said toxic algae had damaged the animal’s mind, leaving it disoriented, in pain and unable to make decisions. A volunteer said the animals’ baby had already passed away before the mother was euthanized and wouldn't have been viable alive. 

The pregnant female is one of at least 317 animals taken in by the center since the Jan. 1, according to Matassa. In 2012, they had 63 for the year. 

While officials still aren’t sure what’ causing the death of the pups, they have seen a number of pregnant females affected by a specific type of plankton that can cause harmful algae blooms. The blooms act as a sea lion neurotoxin, according to Wendy Saewert, center animal care team leader, and the Seal Beach sea lion was most likely affected by algae caused by Pseudo-nitzchia Australis.

As of 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, they’d already had four rescues including a seal pup that had gotten stranded on a wall in Seal Beach. That animal was undernourished after trying to survive without its mother.  

Matassa urged anyone who sees a sick or injured seal to call the nearest lifeguard or the center at 949 494 3050. In addition to calling locals can help by, without approaching, taking and sending a picture of the animal with a camera phone to info@pacificmmc.org, so the center can try to diagnose the animal more quickly.

“It’s normal for sea lions and seals to come up on the beach and sit and rest,” Matassa said. “They’ll catch the rays and they’ll turn around and go back.”

However, when they start sticking around for a long time, something might be wrong, Matassa said. 

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