On August 11th, lifeguards and wildlife officials cleared a dead whale from Torrance Beach. The 51-foot long mammal was found washed ashore and was partially dissected the previous evening after being stranded on the beach for over 12 hours. Officials stated that the fin whale, second in size only to the blue whale, was dragged back into the sea after the beach stranding.
According to information shared on social media by Los Angeles County lifeguards, the whale was spotted between Redondo Beach and Malaga Cove around 6 p.m. on August 10th. The massive whale had already passed away by the time the rescue team arrived on the scene.
On Sunday morning, Torrance city officials announced the fixation and dissection of the stranded whale and warned of potential foul odors. The Marine Mammal Care Center in San Pedro completed the autopsy before high tide, cautioning swimmers to be wary. The public was advised to stay away from the area for an indefinite period.
The MMCC informed local news outlets earlier that samples and blood tests would be conducted to determine the cause of death. Due to the fin whale being an endangered species in recovery in California, this process may take several weeks or even months.
The male whale appeared very weak while alive, showing visible lesions on its skin, signs of parasite disease, and being underweight. MMCC noted that the animal was not fully mature, with adult fin whales reaching lengths of up to 70 feet.
In other news, along the southern California coast, numerous sea lions have been reported ill. Experts suggested on August 1st that the stranding of sea lions over a large stretch of California waters may indicate harmful algal blooms causing toxicity.
The Channel Islands Marine & Wildlife Institute stated that reports of sick sea lions have been coming in daily since July 26 along the 155-mile coastline of Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, located in northwest Los Angeles.
The institute mentioned that these marine mammals had been afflicted by domoic acid poisoning, a neurotoxin affecting the brain and heart. This poisoning incident predominantly affected adult female sea lions in California.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Fisheries Department mentioned that domoic acid poisoning events are common along the California coast. Last year, the situation was particularly severe, with hundreds of sea lions and dozens of dolphins dying within a few weeks starting in early June.
This toxin produced by tiny algae is ingested by shellfish and small fish, then transmitted to sea lions, dolphins, and birds. Affected sea lions may exhibit symptoms like disorientation, head bobbing, foaming at the mouth, and seizures. Humans can also be at risk of infection due to this toxin. ◇