Latest news with #toxicbloom
The Herald
a day ago
- Climate
- The Herald
Toxic algal bloom off South Australia devastates marine life, tourism
The toxic bloom has been caused by overgrowth of the Karenia mikimotoi algal species, which affects fish gills and sucks oxygen out of the water as it decomposes, the state's environment department said. Contributing to its growth was a marine heatwave that started in 2024, when sea temperatures were about 2.5°C warmer than usual. The bloom has affected tourism and forced oyster and mussel farms to temporarily shut due to a waterborne toxin caused by the algae, local media said. More than 13,850 dead animals, including sharks, rays and invertebrates, have been recorded by the public on the iNaturalist app. Federal environment minister Murray Watt said on Monday the algal bloom was a 'serious environmental event', but stopped short of declaring it a national disaster, which would allow greater federal support. Reuters
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Poisoned pelicans fly again after the worst algal bloom in a decade
A flock of brown pelicans waddled back into the wild on Wednesday morning, survivors of Southern California's latest toxic algal bloom. This year's bloom was the deadliest such event since 2015, when thousands of animals were killed along a coastal swath stretching from Central California to Alaska. This year's intense bloom, which started in January, poisoned the 13 pelicans and many other sea animals in the region, including sea lions that sometimes threatened beachgoers. The pelicans that took off Wednesday had made a full recovery at the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center in Huntington Beach. The release was held just south of the pier, with community members invited to watch. "This is always a special moment — not just for our team and volunteers who worked tirelessly to save these birds, but for the community as well," said Debbie McGuire, executive director of the wildlife nonprofit. "Watching them take flight is a powerful reminder of why our work matters." Huntington Beach junior lifeguards volunteered at the event, according to a news release from the center, unzipping the cages on the beach to allow the birds to waddle out to shore. The event was mostly successful, according to Jaratt Dazey, the volunteer coordinator for the wildlife group. After the birds were released, most of them took flight — but two remained on the sand. The pair were taken back to the center's veterinary facilities for more treatment, Dazey said. "Overall, though, the release went well," he said. "They came out of the cages, they sat on the sand for a few minutes, and they all took off and flew together." The 13 pelicans had been poisoned by domoic acid, a toxin that occurs in algal blooms, which fish can consume. Marine animals can then become poisoned if they eat the contaminated fish, causing abnormal behaviors and seizures, Dazey said. This is the fourth year that a dangerous algal bloom has occurred in Southern California, but this year's was especially threatening, as the Los Angeles Times previously reported. A number of sickened sea lions were reported, with one surfer encountering one that he called "feral, almost demonic." The Marine Mammal Care Center in San Pedro reported at the end of May a possible end to "the longest, most toxic, and deadliest bloom we've ever experienced." The Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center rescued nearly 200 seabirds in total, which Dazey said was an abnormally large number. Levels of toxic algae along the coast of Southern California had begun to decline by early June. The toxic algae blooms can be caused by water and wind patterns as well as an overproduction of nutrients in the water, which can "overfeed" algae colonies and lead them to grow out of control, according to the National Ocean Service. The effects of climate change can also make algal blooms more frequent and more severe, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Warmer water temperatures and higher carbon dioxide levels make the perfect habitat for algae breeding. Varying rainfall patterns and coastal upwelling both lead to more nutrient-dense waters, which only encourages algae growth. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
The Independent
13-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Toxic algae bloom kills hundreds of marine species in Australia
A toxic algal bloom in South Australia has killed over 200 marine species, including deepwater sharks, octopuses and leafy sea dragons, in what conservationists have called one of the worst marine die-offs the region has ever seen. The algae, Karenia mikimotoi, has spread across more than 150km of coastline since it was first detected in March, nearly the size of the Kangaroo Island. Since the algae appeared, local people and scientists have observed mass deaths of fish, shellfish, sharks, sea dragons, rays, cuttlefish, and deepwater species along the southern coastline. South Australia 's environment minister said the outbreak had grown to an unprecedented scale. "It is a larger bloom than we have ever seen before," Susan Close said. Scientists say that it is being fuelled by an ongoing marine heatwave, with sea temperatures 2.5C above average, and calm conditions that allow it to thrive. Described as a 'toxic blanket', the bloom suffocates fish by damaging their gills and attacking red blood cells and the nervous system. It can lead to haemorrhaging and erratic behaviour in affected animals. 'It is like a horror movie for fish,' Brad Martin of OzFish told The Guardian. Ms Close said there was not much the government could do. "The only thing that is going to break this bloom up is a change in the weather and starting to get strong westerly winds," she said. An analysis of over 1,400 citizen science reports found around half of the dead species were ray-finned fish and more than a quarter were sharks and rays. Cephalopods like squid and cuttlefish and crustaceans such as crabs and lobsters were among the affected species as well. Though not toxic to humans, the algae has caused skin irritation and respiratory symptoms in some beachgoers. Authorities have temporarily closed several oyster farms and banned pipi harvesting in parts of South Australia. An alarm about the bloom was first sounded by beachgoers back in March after thick foam and dead marine animals washed up on Waitpinga and Parsons beach on the Fleurieu Peninsula. Professor Shauna Murray, a marine biologist at the University of Technology Sydney, identified the algae under a microscope and through DNA analysis. She told The Guardian that K mikimotoi was known to produce reactive oxygen that could suffocate marine life. South Australia's government said winds needed to disperse the algal bloom were being delayed by persistent high-pressure systems – another symptom of shifting climate patterns. Authorities say the full ecological and economic impact of the bloom is yet to be understood but environmental groups urge improved monitoring and stronger action on marine heatwaves, which are growing much more frequent as oceans continue to warm. Alongside the marine heatwave, southern Australia is suffering through one of the worst droughts on record. Ms Close sounded the alarm on how climate change was making the crisis worse. The minister said ocean monitoring showed 'a full-scale climate emergency in our coastal waters', with the bloom extending across an area roughly the size of Kangaroo Island and up to 20m deep. 'These extreme marine heat waves are not just anomalies, they are the new reality. And our marine ecosystems are the first casualties.'
