Sea Lions : Showing Aggressiveness
An algal bloom along the California coast has resulted in a neurotoxin release, which is causing sea lions to become aggressive, leading to attacks on beachgoers and surfers.Sea lions, typically non-aggressive marine mammals, have shown violent and erratic behaviour, attributed to exposure to a neurotoxin called domoic acid.Domoic acid is secreted by the toxic diatom algae Pseudo-nitzschia, which blooms excessively under nutrient-rich conditions in the ocean.Once released, this neurotoxin enters the marine food chain, affecting not just small fish, but also larger predators like sea lions that consume these fish.
