20 FEBRUARY 1998. CALIFORNIA:
MARINE MAMMAL (DISEASE) "My name is MiMi Reyes. I currently volunteer at
Friends of the Sea Lion Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach, CA. The center
serves to rehabilitate injured and sick seals and sea lions. Due to El
Nino, we have experienced overwhelming numbers of sea lion pups washing
up on shore. One pup in particular seems to be suffering from some sort
of skin infection. The lesion-like areas are very pussy . The skin sloughs
off when we attempt to clean it, and the tissue looks gray, possibly dead
tissue. Representatives from Sea World who happened to be visiting the
center thought the infection may be the San Miguel Island disease, but
weren't positive. If this is the disease is there any way to treat it.
Is there anyone that knows what this is or how can we treat it and stop
it? I mention the word stop because this animal's skin seems to be deteriorating
quickly over the entire body, especially at the hind flippers. Please e-mail
me as soon as possible."--MiMi Reyes <mereyes@uci.edu) VIA Marine Mammals
Research and Conservation Discussion <MARMAM@UVVM.UVIC.CA>
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1997 El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO 97-98)