Dead sea otters had brain parasite

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – Most of a startling number of sea otters found sick or dead on the Central California coast last month were infected with a deadly brain parasite, scientists said Thursday.

In April, 62 southern sea otters were found stranded alive or dead near Morro Bay and Pismo Beach. That’s about three times the 10-year average and more than the previous record of 48 stranded or dead otters reported a year earlier.