Death of a young humpback whale in P.G. and another in Santa Cruz County blamed on domoic acid.

The dead juvenile humpback whale that stranded on a sensitive beach in Pacific Grove on June 3 likely died due to exposure to domoic acid, a naturally occurring marine biotoxin produced by harmful algal blooms, according to an announcement on Friday, June 12, by the Marine Mammal Stranding Networks.

A second deceased juvenile humpback stranded less than 10 miles north of P.G. on June 6. According to the announcement, both whales suffered from domoic acid poisoning.

In both cases, researchers took biological samples from the whales, including fecal and stomach content samples. They were analyzed by researchers at UC Santa Cruz.

The findings correlate with Monterey Bay and the Central Coast experiencing high levels of domoic acid-producing algae, which can accumulate in marine food webs. Exposure to the toxin can result in neurological impairment, seizures and death in marine mammals.

The P.G. whale carcass had floated away from the beach near Hopkins Marine Station where it stranded, only to return. It was towed from the beach on Thursday, June 11. 

"By relocating the carcass away from the shoreline, the whale will now be able to decompose naturally and contribute nutrients to the deep-sea ecosystem, where whale falls provide important habitat and food resources for a diverse community of marine organisms," the press release states.

Originally the P.G. Police Department shut down access to Lovers Point Beach out of concern the carcass would attract sharks to the area. The beach was reopened on June 6, but officials urged caution and suggested people limit their water activities.