Surfers at Newport Beach in Southern California had to make a sudden and unexpected escape—not from crashing waves, but from a sea lion acting aggressively in the water. According to a report by FOX 11, the animal was suffering from domoic acid poisoning, linked to a widespread toxic algae bloom devastating marine life across the region.
(Also read: ‘Most traumatic’: Deranged sea lion, poisoned by toxic algae, launches terrifying attack on surfer)
Panic at the shoreline
In a now-viral video shared on YouTube by the account DingoSaidSo, the sea lion can be seen chasing locals out of the water and onto the sand. When some surfers attempted to reenter the ocean, the visibly disoriented animal continued to charge at them, forcing them back once again.
Watch the clip here:
The incident is one of many alarming examples of how the toxic bloom is impacting marine behaviour along the California coast.
Algae bloom causing neurological havoc
The Marine Mammal Care Center, a local nonprofit, is currently overwhelmed with cases of sea animals suffering from neurological distress, reported the outlet. The cause: an unprecedented domoic acid-producing algae bloom that has plagued the coast for over nine weeks—far worse than anything seen in recent years.
“These domoic acid events are getting bigger and worse and more frequent. That’s horrifying. How long can all of these species take this type of abuse and still be with us? That’s the question, and I don’t know the answer to that,” John Warner, CEO of the Marine Mammal Care Center, told the outlet.
According to the outlet, the bloom’s effects have been devastating. While some sea lions and birds can recover with early treatment, marine experts say more dolphins than ever are dying. In recent weeks, a humpback whale was found dead in Huntington Beach and a minke whale in Long Beach.
Beyond domoic acid, experts warn that another neurotoxin—saxitoxin, which causes paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP)—is also harming marine animals. These toxins can cause seizures, confusion, brain damage, and death. Critically, they are making sea lions act aggressively toward humans.
“They’re getting thrown at them. Some of the worst things they could possibly experience. And they’re not feeling well,” Warner added.
(Also read: Cute sea lion can’t stop hugging her trainer. Adorable video is a must-watch)
The outlet reported, a local surfer also expressed concern: “I see them all the time in the bay when I’m out there fishing in my kayak, and they’ll just come up to you and be peaceful. I wouldn’t feel so comfortable about a sea lion coming up in my kayak right now.”
Thousands of cases reported
The sea lion involved in the Newport Beach encounter was later humanely euthanised by marine veterinarians, who said it was too ill to recover, as per Fox 11. From San Luis Obispo to San Diego, the number of affected marine animals is now in the thousands—raising urgent concerns about the long-term impact on California’s coastal ecosystem.
