A California surfer has been left ‘shaken to his core’ after being mauled by a sea lion infected with a zombie-like neurotoxin.
In a Facebook post, Rj LaMendola described his experience riding the waves at Oxnard State Beach Park before encountering the ‘deranged predator’.
Out of nowhere, it erupted from the water, hurtling towards him ‘at full speed’ with its ‘mouth gaped wide’ and teeth gleaming.
After several attempts at an ambush, the crazed animal clamped its jaws down hard on his left butt cheek.
Mr LaMendola said he’s still dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from the encounter, which scientists say was caused by a neurological disorder due to an infection by toxic algae blooms.
He descried it as ‘the most harrowing and traumatic experience of my 20 years of surfing’, adding it ‘left me shaken to my core’.
‘The pain was sharp and immediate, but the terror was worse – it shook its head violently, tugging me off my board by my flesh, dragging me into the water,’ he sad.
‘Its expression was feral, almost demonic, devoid of the curiosity or playfulness I’d always associated with sea lions.’
Rj LaMendola descried it as ‘the most harrowing and traumatic experience of my 20 years of surfing’, adding it ‘left me shaken to my core’
Sea lions are not typically aggressive towards humans, but scientists say the individual was infected with a terrifying neurotoxin (file photo)
‘My wetsuit was shredded where it had bitten me, a jagged tear exposing the puncture wound in my buttock.’
The surfer said he eventually stumbled back onto the beach with blood pouring down his leg, but managed to drive to a nearby hospital.
After contacting the Channel Islands Marine Wildlife Institute, he was told the sea lion was likely affected by ‘domoic acid toxicosis’.
This neurological disorder, caused by an infection from toxic algae, drives these creatures into ‘aggressive and uncharacteristic behaviour’.
Some symptoms of domoic acid poisoning are ‘seizures, bobbing head, erratic behavior and lethargy’, according to marine scientists.
‘This algae bloom produces a toxin called domoic acid and it gets into the food chain,’ John Warner, leader of the Marine Mammal Care Center in Los Angeles, told CBS.
‘It’s a neurological toxin so it affects their brains – they’ll present with seizures, either extreme lethargy or disorientation and aggressiveness.
‘All because they’re literally our of their minds to some degree.’
Channel Islands Marine Wildlife Institute is dealing with a wave of incidents across Santa Barbara and Ventura County involving sea lions and other marine animals affected by the toxin.
According to a report by CBS, sea lion carcasses are lining the beach, suggesting the ‘deranged’ behaviour soon leads to death.
Although there are ‘hardly any’ reports of sea lion bites, now ‘hundreds of animals are being poisoned by a massive toxic algae bloom’.
As Mr LaMendola states, the sea lion that attacked him ‘wasn’t just acting out – it was sick, its mind warped by this poison coursing through its system’.
‘Knowing that doesn’t erase the terror, but it adds a layer of sadness to the fear,’ he said.
Despite the terrifying ordeal leaving him bedbound and dealing with PTSD, Mr LaMendola said he is ‘lucky, all things considered’.
‘The bite was deep, the pain lingering, but it hit my buttock – not an artery, not my face, not something worse,’ he added in his post.
‘Still, I can’t shake the memory of its quivering lips, the relentless pursuit, the feeling of being hunted in a place I’ve always loved. I won’t be paddling out again anytime soon unfortunately.’
An organism called Pseudo-nitzschia (pictured) can grow into large algal blooms. They produce a neurotoxin called domoic acid, which can accumulate in filter-feeding shellfish, finfish and zooplankton When ingested by bigger creatures, the domoic acid can cause the neurological disorder – which includes deranged symptoms and aggression
Sea lion attacks aren’t unheard of; back in 2020, a 25-year-old needed 20 stitches when attacked while swimming underwater in Western Australia.
Elena Precillia was swimming underwater with a raft of sea lions when one of them lunged for the bottom of her leg – resulting in stitches, a course of antibiotics and a medical bill of more than £2,000.
Locals had told her that the sea lions were ‘friendly’ and that ‘many [tourists] went there without a tour guide or anything like that’, she said.
According to the International Fund for Animal Welfare, sea lions are not typically aggressive towards humans, but even without an infection such as this they may attack.
Experts are urging the public to stay at least 50 feet away from any individual marine mammal showing signs of distress.
California Wildlife Center said in a statement: ‘Signs in marine mammals include seizures, a craning head motion known as stargazing and highly lethargic or comatose states.
‘These animals are suffering and confused; do not interact directly with animals such as sea lions in distress as they may lunge and bite without warning.’
