India, April 19 -- Surfers at Newport Beach in Southern California had to make a sudden and unexpected escape-not from crashing waves, but from a sea lion acting aggressively in the water. According to a report by FOX 11, the animal was suffering from domoic acid poisoning, linked to a widespread toxic algae bloom devastating marine life across the region.

(Also read: 'Most traumatic': Deranged sea lion, poisoned by toxic algae, launches terrifying attack on surfer)

In a now-viral video shared on YouTube by the account DingoSaidSo, the sea lion can be seen chasing locals out of the water and onto the sand. When some surfers attempted to reenter the ocean, the visibly disoriented animal continued to charge at them, forcing them back once...