Toxins from a Red Tide in California Cause Multiple Whale Deaths

A large-scale toxic red tide has erupted in Monterey Bay, California. Industrial wastewater and agricultural fertilizers flowing into the ocean from the coast have fueled rampant algal growth, and the neurotoxin chondroic acid produced by these algae has accumulated in marine organisms. High concentrations of the toxin were detected in the bodies of multiple stranded humpback whales, which showed no signs of external trauma and ultimately died of poisoning due to neurological failure. During the same period, mass deaths of sea lions and seabirds were also reported in the area, dealing a devastating blow to the coastal marine ecosystem.