Warm water conditions have really changed the range of quite a few of the forage fish species that the fur seals would be going after
Eighty fur seals have been found stranded along the stateâs coast since January, which is about eight times more than normal, officials said. Of those, 42 were dead. But most of the seals found alive were severely emaciated, and only 16 of those 38 were able to be rehabilitated and released back into the ocean, said Justin Viezbicke, an NOAA Fisheries stranding coordinator.
âTheyâre young animals, and theyâre coming in starving to death”, Viezbicke said Thursday.
Most of the animals were pups born last year, officials said. From 1984 through 2014, NOAA recorded an average of 12 stranded fur seals per year.
Scientists are pointing to warmer waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean as a possible cause
Guadalupe fur seals are a threatened species that breed and live almost entirely on Mexicoâs Guadalupe Island off the coast of Baja California. The fur seals population is estimated at 15,000, officials said.
Scientists are pointing to warmer waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean as a possible cause for the Guadalupe fur seal strandings. Dubbed âthe blobâ by experts, an unusually warm mass of seawater that stretches along much of the West Coast has been affecting marine life and the commercial fishing industry.
âWe think that warm water conditions have really changed the range of quite a few of the forage fish species that the fur seals would be going afterâ, said Toby Garfield, director of environmental research with NOAAâs Southwest Fisheries Science Center.
NOAA declared an unusual mortality event for California sea lions in 2013, but officials said the number of sea lions found stranded this year is returning to normal.
