A rusty brownish-red tinge to the ocean has been reported from south Orange County to the South Bay recently, a murky sight caused by blooming algae.
Sometimes, especially in recent years, a red tide has caused an exciting phenomenon that makes waves glow at night with a bioluminescence, lighting up the whitewash like it had been hit with a jolt of electricity.
But the red tide looming off the Southern California coast now may be a different type of algal bloom – and wildlife experts are worried about what it could mean for local birds.
Officials at the Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center in Huntington Beach are warning beachgoers and wildlife rescue teams throughout Southern California to keep an eye out for birds that might appear in distress due to the potentially harmful algae bloom.
They were first alerted by a concerned citizen on Monday, April 25, who thought the off-looking ocean water could have meant another oil spill, said Debbie McGuire, executive director for the center.
Tests were conducted and it was determined the algae is Akashiwo sanguinea (A. sanguinea).
Clarissa Anderson, executive director for the Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System, confirmed the Akashiwo bloom in Orange County as well as the South Bay, noting her organization had also alerted the California Department of Fish and Wildlife about its existence.
Reports of the thick red tide have come in from San Clemente, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach and the South Bay, though some neighboring areas have no signs of it at all.
Eric Martin, head aquarist for the Roundhouse Aquarium on the Manhattan Beach Pier, said he’s seen the ocean turn red off and on the past few weeks. After conducting samples on Tuesday, April 26, he confirmed it’s the same algae species causing South Bay waters to turn red.
Martin said he has captured several images showing wildlife, including whales and dolphins, swimming through the “chocolate milk” waters, though this specific algae is not believed to have an impact on sea creatures like it can have on birds.
“It’s something we keep our ears perked up for and take samples just in case, but more likely it is a concern for the bird species,” Alissa Deming, vice president of conservation, medicine and science with the Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach, said.
McGuire also warned that dogs should not ingest the ocean water and should be rinsed off it they do come into contact with the algae.
“It’s not going to be too harmful, but we want to get it off them,” she said.
And, while there’s no formal data or research on it, the red tide could cause itching or a rash for surfers or swimmers.
For birds, the algae can hinder their natural ability to repel water.
“This particular algae is breaking their waterproof barrier, that’s why they get sick,” McGuire said. They can develop hypothermia. “If they are beached, they need help.”
If a bird or any other animal spotted is in need of assistance, beachgoers should contact the area’s animal control or notify a nearby lifeguard.
The Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center is on standby to receive and care for any affected birds. The rescued birds can be washed and dried by the trained staff, allowing the animal’s natural waterproofing to come back so they can be released back into the wild, McGuire said.
She spent the morning Tuesday calling other wildlife care centers and animal control authorities up and down the coastline to inform them of the bloom, so in case they find birds stranded on the beach they know what they are dealing with.
Anderson said the algae has been spotted off and on along the Southern California coast for the past month or so. Recent cold water upwelling nearshore – with water temps dropping to the low to mid 50s – could have caused a bloom.
“This species has a wide range of tolerances and is found in many parts of the world,” she said, “usually temperate though.”
