A mysterious illness has apparently led to an unusual surge of sick and dying Western gulls along the southern California coastline, including in Venice, Malibu, Redondo Beach and the South Bay.

International Bird Rescue in San Pedro is treating many of the gulls that have been brought in.

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“This condition looks more like a toxicity than a contagious disease,” said veterinarian Rebecca Duerr, Bird Rescue’s director of research and veterinary science. “The sooner they get help, the better their chances of survival.”

The sick gulls are arriving with symptoms that include dehydration, difficulty standing, partial or complete paralysis, confusion, difficulty blinking, and, in the most severe case

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