Peruvian fur seals (Arctocephalus australis ssp.) and South American sea lions (Otaria byronia) in Peru are exposed to the harmful algal toxins domoic acid and okadaic acid

Abstract

The apparent global increase of harmful algal blooms (HABs) during the last few decades has negatively impacted aquatic ecosystems and marine mammal health, mainly due to dietary exposure to natural toxins produced by the phytoplankton causing these events (Hallegreff 1993, Landsberg 2002). Many of the toxins in question are concentrated by planktivorous grazers, and when these grazers are also the primary prey of marine mammals, fatal neurotoxicity and large-scale die-offs can occur (Scholin et al. 2000, Flewelling et al. 2005, Fire and Van Dolah 2012)...