California sea lions are recovering from historic overexploitation but face new welfare challenges from fishing gear entanglement, human conflict, and domoic acid poisoning from harmful algal blooms.
California sea lion welfare is a contemporary story of recovered populations facing new anthropogenic challenges. Domoic acid poisoning causes dramatic neurological symptoms and deaths in episodic mass events linked to warming ocean conditions. Entanglement in fishing gear creates individual welfare emergencies that require rescue and rehabilitation. Human conflict generates pressure for lethal management that is ethically contested and largely ineffective. Marine mammal center rescue and rehabilitation programs provide direct welfare benefit while generating public awareness of ocean health issues.