Nearly a dozen sea lions sick or dead in Mexico from toxic-algae bloom

More sick sea animals are washing up along the coast, this time off Mexico.

Officials there are warning the public in Rosarito to stay away from sick sea lions. Officials believe the pinnipeds are being affected by domoic acid poisoning.

"We continue to respond to reports of strandings from the public," said Joaquín Mercado de Santiago, the head of Civil Protection and Fire Department. "In coordination with Zofemat, the rescue and lifeguard group, in recent days, four sea lions have been found dead, while seven have survived and returned to the sea."

The same issue has sickened other marine mammals along the California coast, including here in San Diego.

Scores of marine mammals — including dolphins — have been sickened by a toxic algae bloom off the San Diego's coast, according to SeaWorld.

According to Jeni Smith, the curator of the SeaWorld San Diego rescue program, the animals are getting sick from eating fish that have been infected with the toxic algae.

“They may be observed to be having seizures," Smith said. "It can affect their brain, it can affect their heart."

Smith said on Monday that SeaWorld had been out to 54 California sea lion calls, and only 14 of those had been treated and releases. Similarly 42 birds were sickened, 35 of which were pelicans, and eight had been returned to the wild.

Four dolphins had been rescued, Smith said, adding that "[related to this,] is a surge in dolphins. NOAA picked up 12 dolphins in San Diego County on Sunday, pushing the total since March to about 50 dolphins in Southern California and many, many more sea lions. Eleven came back positive for domoic acid and one for DA and saxitoxin."

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in late March that more than 100 dolphins were affected by this domoic acid event — which the agency says is a much more than in previous events by this time of year. This could be because the algae is getting pushed to where dolphins are more common, in deeper offshore waters, according to NOAA, citing scientists.

The agency also said Thursday that in the past two weeks, eight long-beaked common dolphins have died on San Diego beaches.

On Tuesday, NOAA's Michael Milstein told NBC 7 that the agency was trying to aggregate information from a slew of agencies and that, while NOAA did not have exact numbers, it is "confident that we can say that hundreds of California sea lions and hundreds of dolphins have been affected."

The treatment is relatively simple but can make all the difference.

“We give every animal fluids," Smith said. "They also have a vet check, and the vets may prescribe anti-seizure medicine."

The animals that do recover are returned back to the wild.

Smith said it’s important to keep a 50-foot distance between you and the sea lion and contact their rescue team if you notice symptoms of concern.

Researchers are still trying to determine the effects of the toxicity long-term.

To report a dead, injured or stranded marine mammal along the West Coast, please call the West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network at 1-866-767-6114. The SeaWorld rescue hotline is 1-800-541-SEAL (7325).