Chlorine Attack on Sea Lions Was Accident, Authorities Say

Laguna Beach police today reported that 17 sea lions injured and sickened by too much chlorine at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center were victims of an accident, not a criminal attack as was initially suspected.

Officials initially suspected that someone deliberately slipped chlorine into a pool containing the sea lions on April 27, but the subsequent investigation revealed that one of the center’s employees did it by mistake, according to Laguna Beach police Sgt. Tim Kleiser.

The employee had access to the machines operating the filtration center, Kleiser said.

“The employee was unaware of the mishap or the cause,” Kleiser said.

All of the sea lions have recovered from their injuries, Kleiser said. Last month, 14 of the sea lions were released back into the ocean.

City News Service

Photo: Pacific Marine Mammal Center