Marine mammals affected by domoic acid poisoning

Wondering what to do if you come across a stranded marine mammal?

The Channel Islands Marine and Wildlife Institute (CIMWI) is reporting a recent increase in calls for marine mammals showing signs of domoic acid (DA) poisoning. Domoic acid is a neurotoxin that can be fatal for marine mammals when consumed at high amounts. If a marine mammal is poisoned, it might exhibit signs similar to stargazing, head weaving, lethargy, or erratic behavior.

If you see a marine mammal exhibiting these signs, please do the following:

–       Do not touch! Marine mammals can react negatively to human interaction and they may bite.

–       Observe the animal from a minimum of 50 feet away (length of a school bus)

–       Determine the location of the animal

–       Call CIMWI’s hotline at (805) 567–1505 or fill out an online rescue form at: https://www.cimwi.org/online-rescue-form

In the event you come across a dead marine mammal, do the following steps above AND fill out a service request form at https://carpinteriaca.gov/service-request/, so that the City can properly handle the situation.For more information, please visit www.cimwi.org or the Marine Mammal Rescue & Reporting webpage on the City’s website.