Monterey sea otters killed by toxic algae

[Newsjock]

Source: San Francisco Chronicle

A toxic algae that forms in reservoirs, lakes and stagnant freshwater ponds was responsible for the deaths of at least 21 threatened California sea otters in the Monterey Bay area, a scientific study revealed Friday.

The discovery, reported in the scientific journal PLoS ONE, is alarming because the toxin, called microcystin, had never been linked to the death of a marine mammal and was not believed to be capable of surviving for long periods in saltwater.

... Global warming, scientists say, has increased the frequency of deadly green "super-blooms."

Microcystins have been detected in brackish water before, including in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and San Francisco Bay, scientists say. The bacteria has been linked to the death of cattle and even dogs that drank the water or swam through the green slime and then licked their fur. It is also potentially dangerous to humans.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/09/10/BAVL1FBTB2.DTL&tsp=1