Aug 4, 2008 7:39 am US/Pacific
Bay Area Marine Mammal Deaths Baffle Experts
SAN MATEO (AP) ―
Marine animal experts are trying to determine what has been killing a killing a large number of harbor porpoises being found on San Mateo County and Bay Area beaches.
The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito says the carcasses of 24 harbor porpoises 12 males and 9 females have been discovered by beachcombers since early June.
Experts say only one porpoise had obvious signs of trauma indicating that it had been hit by a boat or some other heavy object.
Marine Mammal Center spokesman Jim Oswald says domoic acid poisoning may be responsible for the deaths.
The poisoning is a toxin that produced by algae that can cause severe brain damage or death when digested by marine mammals.
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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