VSFB Environmental Team Surveys Sea Lions at Base Beaches
Channel Island Marine & Rescue Institute volunteers working alongside Vandenberg personnel collect a urine sample from a beached sea lion to perform rapid testing and confirm for domoic acid ingestion 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. (U.S. Space Force photo by Airman 1st Class Olga Houtsma)
PHOTO BY:
Airman 1st Class Olga Houtsma
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240729-X-BS524-1325.JPG
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