VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Vandenberg members, working alongside Channel Island Marine & Wildlife Institute rescue personnel, rescue beached sea lions exhibiting signs of domoic acid poisoning on Surf Beach at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., July 29, 2024. CIMWI conducts research on the causes of illness and injury to marine mammals to positively impact conservation and the health of the environment. All activities were carried out under the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program permit (#18786). Domoic acid poisoning in marine animals is a result of the consumption of prey contaminated by toxic algal blooms, which are increasingly driven by climate change and disruptions to the marine ecosystem. Symptoms in affected animals include disorientation, seizures, and death, often causing them to become stranded onshore. Efforts to address this issue at Vandenberg Space Force Base involves testing marine life for toxins as well as rescuing and rehabilitating affected animals across the installation.