VSFB Environmental Team Surveys Sea Lions at Base Beaches

Vandenberg members, working alongside Channel Islands Marine & Wildlife Institute personnel, use a shield board to safely guide and contain sea lions found exhibiting signs of domoic acid poisoning while preventing them from biting rescuers during the handling process on Surf Beach at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., July 29, 2024. 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. (U.S. Space Force photo by Airman 1st Class Olya Houtsma)