Overview

• Two whales washed up in Orange and Los Angeles counties this year were confirmed to have died from domoic acid poisoning, marking the first such cases in Southern California.
• Marine rescue centers from Ventura to Orange County report being overwhelmed, with over 200 strandings and 110 deaths recorded in April alone.
• NOAA has collected more than 50 dolphins in San Diego since March, with testing revealing high levels of domoic acid in 11 of 14 sampled dolphins.
• The toxic algae bloom, stretching from San Luis Obispo to San Diego, has been designated an extreme danger zone by health and environmental groups.
• Experts attribute the worsening bloom to climate change, fertilizer runoff, and wildfire debris, raising concerns about long-term impacts on marine populations.