Several dead sea mammals found along Ocean Beach

SAN FRANCISCO (KTVU) -- Beach goers were witness to an unusual and sad sight at San Francisco's Ocean Beach Monday after several dead marine mammals washed ashore.

Back in May, three dead whales washed ashore along San Francisco beaches. On Monday, it was a dead dolphin, a dead seal and another large marine mammal. 

"It's a nice day.  I thought I would just enjoy the water." 

Joey DeRuy's stroll along San Francisco's Ocean Beach was a picture taking moment, but he didn't expect to get out his camera for this.

I took photos of it because it was so unusual," said DeRuy.

He spotted a large dead dolphin right there on the beach.

DeRuy captured lifeguards from the National Park Service loading the mammal onto a truck.

"They weren't sure how to handle it because it was too long, explained DeRuy. It was still halfway hanging out of the back of it. So they were trying to find a way to humanely move it and still not worry it was going to fall out."

Dury said it took crews about an hour to cart away the dolphin. But that wasn't the end of his unusual beach sightings.

"I kept walking and I kept running into more," said DeRuy.  

He said he spotted a small dead seal, then a much larger mammal that appeared to be an elephant seal.

Several people walking by couldn't help but stop and wonder what is behind the deaths.

A report shows ocean temperatures in the Bay Area are running warmer than usual this time of year, leading some, like Dury, to question if that's a factor.

"It's very disturbing," said DeRuy. "I've never seen so many animals."

It's not clear how the animals died or what officials plan to do with the beached elephant seal.

As of Monday night, it was still on the beach. In the past, they've allowed the tide to carry out dead animals.

Photo: Joey DeRuy/SFist