Marine Mammal Center

Marine mammals — especially seals and sea lions — face an increasing array of threats to their health and survival, from acoustic pollution and oil spills to malnourishment and habitat loss, net and fishing line entanglements to “boat hits” and even gunfire. Disease, too, takes a heavy toll, including domoic acid poisoning, bacterial infections such as leptospirosis, and even cancer, which is found in large numbers of adult sea lions.

The Marine Mammal Center is a nonprofit veterinary research hospital and educational center dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of ill and injured marine mammals – primarily elephant seals, harbor seals, and California sea lions. Each year, the Sausalito, CA-based organization rescues and treats 600-800 marine mammals that are malnourished, prematurely separated from their mothers, shark bite victims, entangled in marine debris, suffering from illnesses, or wounded by gunshot. Founded in 1975, the MMC also conducts scientific inquiry to increase knowledge of marine mammals and reaches over 30,000 children and adults a year through education programs and events. Per the organization’s website: “Covering more than 70% of our planet, the ocean is Earth's primary life-support system – and these animals are critical bellwethers of its health. By caring for them, we care for all of life.”

Marine Mammal Center