Sea Lions’ Deaths Part of Nature

Despite several reports of dead sea mammals washing ashore in the Ventura area in recent weeks, officials said Friday that the deaths are not the result of any unusual conditions or foul play.

Instead, area officials attribute the apparent rise in deaths to something more powerful--nature.

“This appears to be part of the natural fluctuation that we have here every year,” said Mia Frost, manager of animal regulation for Ventura County. “If there was something abnormal going on, we would notice it right away.”

Area lifeguards have reported that an unusual number of the dead animals have washed ashore over the past several weeks. They said they have found 10 to 12 dead sea lions in the past week--the amount they would normally find over a period of months.

“There seem to be a lot more sea lions than we’re used to, both alive offshore and dead on the beach,” said Steve White, state lifeguard supervisor. “We’ve had a lot of people coming up to our lifeguards and asking what’s going on.”

Frost, whose agency helps collect the dead animals, said the deaths have all been easily explained.

“There are normal things--injuries, shark wounds or sickness,” she said. “Sea lions die like anything else.”