September 11, 2009 at 5:00 am by Luanne Bradley
Scientists Baffled by High Sea Lion Death Count in a Non-El Niño Year
It’s not unusual in California to see from 1,500 to 2,000 sea lion deaths on our beaches each year. But this year is off – way off – and no one can figure out why.
Starting in May and continuing through September, an unexpected onslaught of emaciated, young sea lions has been beached along the coast, requiring a tremendously heightened response among the marine mammal rescue networks throughout the state.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which coordinates these networks, is just as concerned about what is …
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