In the Bay Area, sea lions are suffering from an alarming outbreak of leptospirosis, with transmission levels previously unseen. Marin County's Marine Mammal Center admitted 100 sick lions and performed 19 necropsies, with estimates suggesting two-thirds may not survive. This surge in cases is suspected to be linked to past environmental changes caused by a marine heatwave, referred to as The Blob, which drastically affected the oceanic ecosystem and food sources for marine animals. Leptospirosis not only poses a risk to sea lions but can also affect domestic pets, including dogs.
Marine Mammal Center's director of pathology Dr. Padraig Dugnan reported that the marine heatwave known as 'The Blob' fundamentally altered the food chain, affecting sea lions' feeding patterns.
KTVU's report highlights a significant rise in leptospirosis cases among Bay Area sea lions, with two-thirds of the 100 affected lions expected to not survive.
Giancarlo Rull, spokesperson for the Marine Mammal Center, noted that the current level of leptospirosis transmission among sea lions is unprecedented, presenting immense challenges for recovery.
Scientists have been aware of leptospirosis for over 50 years, but the current outbreak's scale, occurring early in the year, is beyond anything previously documented.
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