The Marine Mammal Center

Mike Makes it Home! "Hey Mikey ~ He Likes It!"

noreply@blogger.com (The Marine Mammal Center) — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 18:45:00 +0000

Photo-Article: Dina N. Warren, Communications & Harbor Seal Crew volunteer.

Ready for release after lots of practice swimming, diving and retrieving fish in his deep water pool, Mike is sporting the latest in Harbor seal hat wear. In fact, Mike's temporary hat tag will help scientists track his travel and success in the wild, and will fall off once he experiences his first, yearly molt.

Mike practices floating and gliding along the water's surface.

Mike spots something interesting and assumes a vertical water position. Known as "bottling," this behavior is common to Harbor seals and other marine mammals.

Life is good! Mike enjoys a quiet doze while "bottling" just a few days before his release... shhh!

Mike was one of the very first pups of the 2011 Harbor season. He was rescued on March 22nd, at Bolinas' Brighton Beach, and safely admitted to the Center's special Harbor Seal Hospital facility. Mike was suffering from severe maternal separation -- severe, because Mike couldn't have been more than just a few days old. "At only 7.6 kilograms, Mike still had a three-inch umbilicus and was slightly jaundiced," described Deb Wickham, the Center's veterinary science operations manager. "Mike was a premature newborn, had no teeth, and was still covered in a long, whitish coat of hair, his lanugo coat, typical of premature pups. This is usually lost before birth and is less common in full-term pups," added Wickham.

After Mike received his "admit exam," vet staff started him on a newborn pup protocol. He was first stabilized with a tub-fed combination of electrolytes and fluids to rehydrate him. Mike also received a regime of vitamin B-complex called, pinnivite, to boost his immune system, along with a series of antibiotics to help guard against a potential fatal umbilicus infection. Then, Mike received frequent, small tube-feedings of Harbor seal baby formula - much like human formula. Since Mike did not experience the benefits of being raised by his mother, his weaning process was much longer, than he would have experienced in the wild. During the wild-weaning period of six to eight weeks, Mike would have also received valuable antibodies from his mother's milk, along with crucial learning experiences in swimming, diving, finding and catching food. At the Center, under artificial conditions, it took Mike about three months to reach independence, which is typical for other Harbor seal patients his age.

In the early stages of Mike's recovery and growth, he was extremely lethargic, and described by vet staff as, sweet and low. "He was a "slow developer" and almost died a couple of times, with periodic bouts of inactive breathing common to fragile newborns," explained Wickham. "It was a challenge for vet staff and Harbor Crew volunteers to assess and differentiate Mike's weak and irregular breathing, and his overall unresponsiveness," described Wickham. Since Mike also presented with a faint and irregular heartbeat, vet staff decided to include a bronchial respiratory stimulant, doxopram, in his tube feedings. This helped his small, under-developed lungs do a better job of keeping him alive! "Any time we see pups this tiny and compromised, we have to provide this kind of supportive care," added Wickham.

It was touch and go, that first month of Mike's life at the Center, but he grew and gained strength steadily. About a month after his rescue, Mike was finally ready to learn how to feed on whole fish, inside his small and shallow water enclosure, designed specifically for pups his age. Shortly thereafter, Mike graduated to one of the Center's larger, deeper pools, designed for longer, deeper swimming and diving opportunities. These pools encourage pinniped patients of all ages and types, to build stamina, strength and agility, while independently retrieving and eating fish. Often there will be as many as five or six seals in one of these larger pools, and just as in the wild, Mike learned to "compete" for food, while still under veterinary care.

Finally, on June 22nd, almost three months to the day of his rescue, Mike was ready to return to his ocean home! He was joined by three of his pen-mates; Dog Biscuit, Noyobabe and Serenity, also young pups treated for maternal separation. All were successfully released at Scotty Creek Beach, in Sonoma County. Mike's story of rescue, rehabilitation and release, is a celebration of the challenging work staff and volunteers perform each and every day at The Marine Mammal Center. We all wish the very best for Mike... Good luck, little guy!

# # #

Paddle the Brave Pup ~ A Bittersweet Story That Deserves to be Told

noreply@blogger.com (The Marine Mammal Center) — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 21:22:00 +0000

Once stabilized and after he regained his strength, Paddle began to swim energetically within his Harbor Hospital water enclosure.

Paddle had just begun "fish school" and was learning how to accept small, whole fish that were hand-fed to him, on his pen-floor.

It took a village... Volunteer Harbor Crew supervisor, Stan Jensen, lended a hand to fellow volunteers, Jeop van Belkom, newly arrived from the Netherlands; and Kimberly Swan, a two year veteran, originally from New Zealand.

Article & Photos: Dina N. Warren, Communications and Harbor Crew volunteer.
The story of Paddle, the Harbor Seal Pup, was one of the most amazing and dramatic patient stories the Center has ever shared... However, this bittersweet saga of rescue and rehabilitation also comes with a heartbreaking end -- nevertheless, Paddle's story has to be told...

Paddle's rescue took place over the course of three days, with a carefully synchronized team of staff and volunteers working tirelessly, in a heroic effort to save this tiny, late season pinniped. The story began on May 31st, with local Standing volunteer and naturalist, Sarah Grimes, who was leading one of her tour-groups up the Big River Estuary, near Fort Bragg.

While describing the local sights, Sarah and her fellow Fort Brag Operations volunteer, Ben Schleifer, also with the Department of Fish and Game, spotted the tiny pinniped -- lethargic, emaciated and shaking. "He was vocal, but distressed and all alone on the riverbank. I was very concerned because it was quite late in the Northern California Harbor pupping season, and he was exceptionally small to be without his mother," explained Grimes. The next day, June 1st, Sarah decided to paddle up river again, to further assess the pup's condition -- but he was nowhere in sight.

Three days later, on June 2nd, the Center's Stranding Department in Sausalito, received a concerned citizen's call describing the very same pup! The Stranding Department quickly contacted Sarah and gave her permission to attempt rescue. Generously encouraged by her tour-operator to use their pontoon boat, Sarah paddled twice as far, four miles up the south side of Big River. "I was losing all hope when I came upon the most incredible sight!" explained Grimes. "There was "Paddle" still alone and very distressed -- but it looked like he was up in a tree!?" exclaimed Grimes. In fact, Paddle had climbed up a fallen tree branch,and was hanging on for dear life, dangling about 3 feet over the water!

Sarah hopped out of her outrigger and rescued the pup, wrapping him in a towel and safely securing him in the boat's front cargo hold. She furiously paddled back down to the river's mouth, placed the pup in a waiting transport carrier, and immediately drove 1.5 hours to Cloverdale. There, Paddle was transferred to waiting Stranding volunteers, Phil and Jean Warren. (Phil's also serves as a Board member.) After another hour's drive south, Paddle was transferred again, to Erin Brodie, one of the Center's Stranding coordinators, and her husband, Dan. Together, they drove Paddle from Novato to the Center's Harbor Seal Hospital, in Sausalito. That night, guided by the Center's veterinary team, Erin worked tirelessly to save the critical pup!

"Paddle was in pretty poor condition, suffering from severe dehydration, malnutrition and maternal separation. He went into hypoglycemic shock and was experiencing multiple seizures," explained Dr. Rebecca Greene, one of the Center's associate veterinarians. At barely 28 inches long and only 12.2 pounds, Paddle was considerably younger than most of the other Harbor seal patients. Together, Dr, Greene and Donna Why, a volunteer Harbor Crew supervisor, worked to save and stabilize Paddle, using a dextrose fluid IV and an anti-seizure medication, diazepam. Paddle's admit-exam also revealed congested upper airways and a slight heart murmur, so the Vet team ordered radiographs and echo cardiograms. Paddle was then prescribed antibiotics, doxycycline and clavamox, to rule out any pneumonia, and the veterinary team continued to monitor Paddle's heart murmur, which sometimes can resolve itself, as pups grow and develop.

Paddle was responding well to a series of tube-feedings, starting with baby formula and later with blended fish milkshakes consisting of salmon oil, herring and water. "He was very eager and energetic, once he was feeling better," explained Stan Jensen, another volunteer Harbor Crew supervisor. "We were all hoping and working for the best recovery and outcome." said Stan Jensen.

Then, something very disappointing happened with Paddle's story of survival. Little Paddle died over night, on July 1st, a month into his rehabilitation. "Unfortunately, Paddle succumbed to the extent of malnutrition and related challenges he'd faced," explained Dr. Jeff Boehm, the Center's executive director. Once Paddle had been stabilized, he began to respond to his treatment plan, and Harbor Crew volunteers and vet staff had become guardedly optimistic. "Though it's not good news... we stand to learn from Paddle's passing... in our post-mortem analysis, (which) we'll be sure to share," added Dr. Boehm.

It's always a risk to share and sometimes even to celebrate, our patients' amazing survival stories. But, as Dr. Boehm reminded us, "It is important to tell the complete story, which reflects the complexity and unpredictability of the Center's work." It is true, that dear little Paddle's passing will yield more scientific knowledge for our current and future pinniped patients...

We are all greatly saddened by his passing. But, we were privileged to have cared for this special pinniped patient, and hoped and worked for his recovery and release back into the wild. We're sorry he didn't make it -- our brave little Paddle!

# # #

Leopard Sharks Might Not Be Marine Mammals ~ But The Marine Mammal Center Helps to Solve a Mystery!

noreply@blogger.com (The Marine Mammal Center) — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 22:33:00 +0000

The Marine Mammal Center Blog is written by Dina N. Warren, Communications & Harbor Seal Crew volunteer.

A leopard Shark washes ashore, in distress and dying, on Ocean Beach in San Francisco.

Dr. Bill Van Bonn and Dr. Martha Delaney, work quickly to sample blood from the still living shark, to help current, scientific research on recent mass die-off of this important marine fish.

The leopard shark is a common sight along the California coastal shelf and within our own local waters. At this time of year, it is typical to find larger than normal numbers of these fish congregating in and around the San Francisco Bay, to breed and give birth. Lately, these particular sharks have been in the news because of large numbers reportedly washing ashore sick, dying or dead.

Just recently, The Marine Mammal Center's Stranding Department received a call from a concerned citizen in Tiburon, describing a large, 10 to 12 foot leopard shark struggling near shore in the town's small marina. The Center's chief veterinary scientist, Dr. Bill Van Bonn, decided they had a rare free moment from caring for the Center's primary pinniped patients, and responded to the call. (Prior to joining the Center, Dr. Van Bonn was senior director for animal care, at Shedd Aquarium, Chicago.) Once the team arrived, the shark had already disappeared back into the Bay.

Then, on Friday, June 10, 2011, the Center's Stranding Department received yet another leopard shark call, this time sighted near Ocean Beach, on the Peninsula. In addition, The California Department of Fish & Game had asked if the Center could lend support to their leopard shark mortality study. Again, Dr. Van Bonn was pleased to help by collecting blood samples from the still-living leopard shark. Working together with one of the Center's residents-in-training, Dr. Martha Delaney, whose specialty is part of the University of Illinois Zoo Pathology program; the veterinarians reached the struggling yet still-living shark, successfully collecting nearly 10 vials of blood. "Unfortunately, this shark was close to death when we arrived and expired moments after we completed our work," explained Dr. Van Bonn. "We were also asked to conduct some scientific studies using the Center's Laboratory and Necropsy Departments; so we collected the deceased shark and performed a post mortem dissection," added Dr. Van Bonn.

Of course, we all know the Center specializes in marine mammals, and last time anyone checked, sharks are not mammals -- though some species do bare live young, just like mammals! However, the health of all marine creatures is key to the Center's work, and crucial to marine mammals and fish -- and humans, alike! The Center's Necropsy Department will share comprehensive post mortem results, including; internal measurements, observational data, and multiple tissue samples. These data will be crucial to the California Department of Fish and Game's task of solving this mysterious die-off on one particular species.

Note: Sharks are an important indicator species of our ocean's health. Some scientists believe that Bay's reduced salinity, from heavy spring rains, may be a factor. This and other hypotheses are still under investigation.

# # #

Meet "Wildoctric!" ~ An Unusual Name for an Unusual Patient! Elephant Seal Weaner Gets Groundbreaking Surgery, Smooth Recovery & Happy Release!

noreply@blogger.com (The Marine Mammal Center) — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 23:39:00 +0000

Blog article & captions written by Dina N. Warren
Photos by Jackie Dolan & Stan Jensen

Wildoctric surveys her new ocean home at Drakes Bay. This female, elephant seal weaner successfully survived an amazing story of rescue, groundbreaking surgery, careful rehabilitation, and a heartwarming release! Pictured here on Chimney Rock Beach, in the Point Reyes National Seashore, she's ready to go home!

It's a picture perfect day for Wildoctric's beginning steps toward freedom. Here, she cautiously touches sand for the first time, after many weeks of treatment and recovery.

Swimming safely in her pool enclosure, just hours after her final surgery, Wildoctric experiences a smooth recovery. What a face -- is that gratitude in her eyes?!

Marjorie Boor, keeps a close eye on the first-ever sliding hiatal hernia surgery to be performed on an elephant seal! High-definition cameras and monitors guide and record this ground-breaking procedure.

Pictured in the Center's hospital, a laparoscopic gastropexy is performed on this young Northern Elephant Seal ~ a common procedure to humans, as well!

Meet "Wildoctric" --an unusual name for an unusual patient, and one who needed help for a serious, hidden medical condition. This young female Northern Elephant Seal was rescued in the middle of the Center's rescue range, on a beach in Monterey State Park, April 30, 2011. Wildoctric was extremely lethargic and suffering from severe malnutrition, weighing only 40 kilograms -- pups this age should weigh at least 75 kilograms! The Center's rescue team responded quickly to a concerned citizen's call, rescued and delivered her to the waiting veterinary team, back in Sausalito.

During her admit-exam, the veterinary staff noticed that the young elephant seal already had a green flipper tag - indicating that she had been counted only a few weeks prior at the Ano Nuevo State Reserve. Within days, the team realized that this wayward pelagic pup was suffering from something internal. "She was a poor eater, managing only a couple of whole fish, so we prescribed supplemental tube-feeding, but still, she couldn't keep her food down, vomiting frequently," explained Dr. Rebecca Greene, one of the Center's associate veterinarians. "Despite our best efforts, she was not able to consistently gain and keep weight-on," added Dr. Greene. Therefore, after nearly three weeks of erratic gains and losses, Dr. Bill Van Bonn, the Center's chief veterinary scientist, decided it was time for some more in-depth investigations.

"To my knowledge, this was the first time that anyone attempted these procedures on an elephant seal," explained Dr. Van Bonn. The team started by investigated the internal organs using a series of basic radio graphs, or x-rays, which revealed some abdominal abnormalities. A few days later, the team conducted more detailed contrast-radio graphs and a subsequent endoscopy revealed the underlying problem -- a sliding hiatal hernia! (These procedures are commonly performed on humans, where a tiny camera, mounted at the end of a long thin tube, is inserted through the mouth, down the esophagus, and into the stomach.)

"There was something inside the abdominal region that was herniating, or moving, into the chest cavity -- and that "something" was her stomach!" explained Dr. Van Bonn. "So, we decided to perform a laparoscopic gastropexy to keep the stomach from moving into the thoracic cavity," added Dr. Van Bonn. On June 9, 2011, Wildoctric began a incredibly smooth recovery. Just hours after surgery, she accepted small amounts of prescribed whole fish, and was ready for more. Each day, her ration was carefully monitored and gradually adjusted-up. Originally, Wildoctric was admitted to the hospital at only 41 kilograms. But in just 20 days after surgery, she had gained nearly 20 kilograms and was released with other rehabilitated patients, at a healthy 61.5 kilograms! "Watching this marine mammal swimming and diving, and successfully retrieving whole fish on her own was a joy," said Deb Wickham, the Center's veterinary science operations manager. "Her treatment, rehabilitation and release outcome is what we all work for, each and every day!" added Wickham.

A miracle of science, and much tender loving care... Good luck Wildoctric, we're all so proud of you!

# # #

Five Elephant Seals Released... Ready to Meet Their Wild Brothers and Sisters!

noreply@blogger.com (The Marine Mammal Center) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 18:43:00 +0000

Layla takes a rest moments after her release on Chimney Rock Beach. Seen here sniffing and chewing everything new in her surroundings, Layla rediscovers her love of playing with seaweed! (Photo-article: Dina Warren, volunteer, The Marine Mammal Center)

It was a day of joy, as five rehabilitated elephant seal patients were released back into their ocean home, on a calm, overcast morning, Friday, June 3, 2011, at Chimney Rock Beach, in the Point Reyes National Seashore. Layla, a young female pup, and four of her weaner pen-mates, Lindsey, Milo, Chantal, and Roark; were all released together, in an area where over 500 wild elephant seals were spotted, resting mostly on the inaccessible sandy beaches surrounding Drakes Bay.

These young elephant seals were rescued from various beaches throughout San Luis Obispo, San Francisco and Monterey counties. Each young seal was found alone, suffering from severe malnutrition. Once safely at the Center, it took them about 2 to 3 months to become fully rehabilitated, and strong enough to fend for themselves in the wild. "These pups came to us in pretty bad shape," said Ben Calvert, one of the Center's stranding and animal crew volunteers. "After being assessed by the veterinary staff, all five had to be rehydrated, using either tube-fed electrolytes or subcutaneous fluids. Then, after a period of tub-feeding using fish milkshakes, the young pinnipeds went through the different stages of fish school," added Calvert.

These young marine mammals, some less than 30 days old, did not have success discovering what and how to eat on their own. Therefore, they needed to "attend" what the Center calls, "fish school." First, the baby elephant seals have to be patiently, hand-fed whole fish. This is commonly done while they are out of the water -- on the floor of their enclosure. Next they have to learn how to accept fish, while in the water -- often in the shallow end of the pool. The final stage of "fish school" is when the seals are able to free-feed -- swimming and diving for fish that are tossed into their pools. Folks at the Center commonly call this, "graduating from fish school." It costs a dollar-a pound to feed these guys! But, it's worth every dime, especially when you get to see them so happy to be back in their ocean home - ready to meet their wild brothers and sisters! Good luck, gang!

The Marine Mammal Center : Domoic Acid Toxicosis

noreply@blogger.com (The Marine Mammal Center) — Sat, 07 May 2011 15:07:00 +0000

The Marine Mammal Center : Domoic Acid Toxicosis

Blackwolf: In Our Hearts Forever

noreply@blogger.com (The Marine Mammal Center) — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 17:45:00 +0000

Little Blackwolf is in the background. The other marine mammal is Gremlin, an adult California sea lion.

This adorable sea lion pup stole the heart of everyone who saw her at The Marine Mammal Center. She was only a few months old when she arrived at the Center. Rescued on October 6, 2010, from Bird Rock Beach in Monterey County, this little gal weighed only 26 pounds when she got here.

At the Center, veterinarians found that the petite pup was suffering from pneumonia and malnutrition. Because Blackwolf was so young when she was rescued and unable to learn to eat fish on her own, the Center veterinarian staff knew she couldn’t survive a return to the wild. Therefore Center staff began to “target train” Blackwolf to prepare her for a new home in a zoo.

Animal care volunteer Val helped prepare Blackwolf for her new home:

For those of us who volunteer in animal care, we are trained to hide our profiles behind boards, keep our voices low, never feed by hand, avoid eye contact with the animals, etc.That’s because most of our patients return to the wild.

However, the rules for Blackwolf were quite different since she could not be released to the wild. She had to learn to interact with people in order to allow them to safely care for her. I was asked to continue to reinforce her positive learning process, and after undergoing a bit of training myself, I was handed a bucket of fish, and into the pen I went. The first time she targeted for me, she ran at me full speed and left no doubt that she had performed her task correctly - her idea of "target" was a quite forceful smack of her nose against my fist!

I quickly rewarded her with a fish and verbal praise. Then I began walking away from her while speaking the second command "Follow." Immediately, I had a very small sea lion walking slightly behind me, with her head bumping my leg as we took a short jaunt around the pool. Time for another fish reward and lots of praise! Then I pointed to the pool and spoke the third command "Water" and in she went. Then back out she came ready for her reward. We repeated these actions until her quota of fish was gone, and after a bit more praise, I left the pen.

On April 7, 2010, Black Wolf was sent to live with another sea lion at Miller Park Zoo in Illinois, where she will be well cared for and provide an opportunity to educate the public about marine mammals. We'll keep you posted here as we hear more about her life in her new home.

Run for the Seals 2011

noreply@blogger.com (The Marine Mammal Center) — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 23:20:00 +0000

Bring on the Sun!

noreply@blogger.com (The Marine Mammal Center) — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 22:39:00 +0000

Scaffolding is erected along the animal care building in preparation for installation of new solar panels. Photo: The Marine Mammal Center

If you're visiting The Marine Mammal Center during the next few weeks (and we hope you do!) you may see some new additions to the facility. Today. a construction crew began putting up scaffolding along the Center's animal care building in preparation to install 80 new photovoltaic panels. Thanks to a generous donation by PG&E, the additional 28 kW cells will help us shave thousands of dollars off of our electrical bill! Work is expected to be completed in January. Thank you PG&E!

Waiting for Her Lucky Day!

noreply@blogger.com (The Marine Mammal Center) — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 21:59:00 +0000

Lucky Day recuperating at The Marine Mammal Center.

This blog posting is by volunteer Dina Warren. Dina volunteers on the Saturday night crew.

Lucky Day has returned to The Marine Mammal Center shortly after her release back to the ocean. Originally admitted to The Marine Mammal Center on October 1, 2010, Lucky Day, a juvenile California sea lion, was first rescued at Seacliff State Beach, below the visitor center in Aptos, Santa Cruz. When Lucky Day was found, she was in poor shape, exhibiting depressed behavior, inactivity, and suffering from a heavy discharge from her closed, right eye. Subsequently, she was diagnosed with pneumonia and sacrocystis (a parasitic protozoa that compromises muscle tissue) by the Center’s veterinarian team.

After about a month of care, Lucky Day’s health improved. Her eye healed, and she was eating well. She had even gained enough weight so that veterinarians felt comfortable she would survive in the wild on her own. She was released back into her ocean home at Point Reyes on November 8, 2010.

However, just one week later, Lucky Day was stranded again. This time she was found lying in the middle of Potbelly Beach Road, near Capitola's New Brighton State Beach. She was lethargic, and looking very down. In fact, she was emaciated with most of her ribs showing from malnutrition. Lucky Day had lost over 40 pounds during her time at sea swimming all the way from Point Reyes to Capitola.

Presently, Lucky Day is waiting for a lucky day of her own, and hopefully will make it home before the New Year. Her poor body condition, malnutrition, and possible muscle and heart inflammation will keep her safely recuperating at The Marine Mammal Center for now.

What's All the Noise about? Under Construction...

noreply@blogger.com (The Marine Mammal Center) — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 17:06:00 +0000

Construction is underway on the new pools at The Marine Mammal Center.

Lots of folks have been wondering about all of the construction activity around The Marine Mammal Center lately. After the grand opening last year, some people are understandably surprised to see more building going on around here.

The background is that the Center has always planned for this phase to be built. These pools are particularly special as they are very large, in-ground pools. In fact, the pools are 12'x16'x5' deep and can hold an incredible 7,500 gallons each!

The Center needs these three pools for a variety of reasons. The configuration of these pools is ideal to house large numbers of elephant seal pups. They can also be used for isolation and are USDA compliant for housing animals long-term or for research projects.

Although there will be heavy equipment, noise and dust around the Center, we are still open every day as usual. Indeed, the Center is open year-round except for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas, and New Year's Day. The construction areas are restricted for safety, but the work does not interfere with visiting the Center. All of the fascinating exhibits and viewing areas are still open, just as before. If anything, it's an added bonus to catch the pool construction in action before it's finished!

Want to help with the building of future pools? Join our Fund-A-Need program and help the Center build a quarantine pen for its patients. It is essential that the Center be able to isolate and diagnose new patients before introducing them to the general patient population.

Sgt. Nevis's Story Touches Volunteer Sandy Fagin's Heart

noreply@blogger.com (The Marine Mammal Center) — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 19:16:00 +0000

Sgt. Nevis has a face anybody could love.

This week's blog is based on the writing of volunteer Sandy Fagin who was moved by the story of Sgt. Nevis.

I have been an education docent for five years at The Marine Mammal Center. Although I live in Sacramento, my passion for the ocean and marine mammals has driven me to confront torrential rainstorms, horrible traffic jams, and a rear-end collision to get my Center "fix".

One day I was at work when I saw the TV image of an obviously injured sea lion who turned out to be Sgt. Nevis. I was immediately hooked: fueled by anger for an unconscionable act and overwhelmed by sadness for an animal that tugs at my heart in a way that I don't even understand.

As the story progressed, I followed every rescue attempt. I cried at each failed rescue attempt and then again when he was finally weak enough to be successfully rescued. I was happy that he was in the best possible hands but still seething at the act that caused his suffering.

One day when I was at the Center, I saw Sgt. Nevis lift his head, look me straight in the eye, and lower his head back to the ground. The reports at this point in time were not good, and I thought for sure that this would be the last time that I would see him.

Happily, over time, Sgt. Nevis grew stronger and a home was found for him at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo. The day before he was to leave for Six Flags, I had the opportunity to serve as a docent on that day and found it to be the most meaningful four hours of my five years of volunteering. What I saw was a 650 pound sea lion taking fish from Center Stranding Manager Shelbi Stoudt in a manner that was more gentle than a dog being fed.

As Shelbi worked with Sgt. Nevis, I was astounded by his intelligence and grace - even at 650 pounds.

I had mixed emotions when he was moved to Six Flags. I was happy that he was healthy but sad that he couldn't return to the ocean. In the end, I'm not sure why Sgt. Nevis is such an important part of me. Maybe it's the love I feel for all animals and the even stranger attraction I have for sea lions, coupled with the brutal actions of man against animal.

My sadness and anger has turned to happiness. I am happy that Sgt. Nevis is healthy and safe. I am happy that the justice system has not allowed this appalling, unlawful act to go unpunished. I am happy that Sgt. Nevis has been a part of my life. Finally, I am happiest and proud to be a part of the Marine Mammal Center, and all of the wonderful and unselfish things that they do to protect and help these beautiful, innocent animals.

The Gala: An Evening to Celebrate Merrill Magowan

noreply@blogger.com (The Marine Mammal Center) — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 17:19:00 +0000

The Marine Mammal Center Director of Veterinary Science Dr. Bill Van Bonn celebrates with his wife Anna (on the right) and Center Veterinary Intern Dr. Vanessa Fravel.

The Marine Mammal Center's 14th Annual Gala and Auction was a night to remember. Guests wore festive cocktail attire to spend an evening celebrating the spectacular contributions of Merrill Magowan and his family to the Center. Many people wore various shades of bright orange to acknowledge the Giants' recent exciting wins in baseball.

Merrill Magowan and his wife Cinnie came with many of their family members to honor Merrill as the Center's immediate past Chairman. The festive evening included a special "salute" to Merrill and his incredible life. His brother, Peter Magowan, hosted a fun "$64,000 Question" game show episode to show off Merrill's phenomenal knowledge of all things baseball.

The evening also included a Merrill-themed auction inspired by his life which featured amazing adventures and once-in-a-lifetime treats, such as the opening pitch at the Giants game or a week in Hawaii, Spain or Italy - your choice!

A formal beef dinner, cocktails, live music and a dessert buffet completed the evening. If you missed it this year, join us in 2011 for the next Gala!

Sgt. Nevis Undergoes Reconstructive Surgery Today

noreply@blogger.com (The Marine Mammal Center) — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 18:48:00 +0000

Sgt. Nevis during his stay at The Marine Mammal Center.

Today Sgt. Nevis had first-of-its-kind reconstructive surgery to close the open gunshot wound on his face. You might recall that Sgt. Nevis was the California sea lion that was seriously injured when he was shot by a fisherman in the Sacramento River 10 months ago. In fact, the Center rescued and treated 18 marine mammals, including Sgt. Nevis, that were shot with bullets and pellets last year.

Sadly, that gunshot injury was so severe that it prevented Sgt. Nevis from diving or putting his head under water. It even forced him to modify his breathing. In addition, he was at risk of infection and he wouldn't be able to return to the ocean because he couldn't dive to feed himself.

In fact, this inability to return to the wild was the impetus for the decision to place him at Six Flags in Vallejo, CA. It was at Six Flags that today's surgery was performed. Dr. Praful Ramenini, a human reconstructive surgeon from Washington D.C., flew in to perform the surgery and generously donated his time and services to the effort. He was supported by Center Veterinarian Dr. Bill Van Bonn and Six Flags park veterinary staff.

The surgical team loosened skin just above the wound and stretched it over the open wound during the two hour procedure, with the almost 700-pound marine mammal fully anesthetized. Sgt. Nevis will spend three to four days in dry recovery at Six Flags' Vet Clinic quarantine room before being transferred back to the Seal Cove exhibit.

Speaking of Seal Cove, Sgt. Nevis is already a favorite amongst park staff. He's described as being gentle, patient, smart and quick to learn. In fact, he already has a routine established: he tends to hang out at the exhibit's "beach" with the young female sea lions, Ella and Indigo!

Coastal Clean-Up Day Removes 164 Pounds of Trash from Rodeo Beach!

noreply@blogger.com (The Marine Mammal Center) — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 19:08:00 +0000

Volunteers armed with plastic gloves and trash bags head down to the sand to collect ocean trash on Coastal Clean-Up Day 2010.

It was unusually hot on Rodeo Beach, but the weather made for some very productive ocean trash collection on this year's Coastal Clean-Up Day. About 165 volunteers gathered 164 pounds of ocean trash -- that's approximately one pound per volunteer!

What kinds of things were collected? First, 98 pounds of trash were removed. Second, 16 pounds of rusty metal and 50 pounds of wood with nails were collected. In addition, half a table from a boat was found and removed. That brought the grand total of trash up to 164 pounds! But that's not all. The energetic volunteers also collected 8 pounds of recycling.

As usual, some odd items were found: an ear plug, a Halloween spider ring, and a metal snap tie for foundations.

Thank you to everyone who came and helped out! If you weren't able to come, remember that every day of the year can be a coastal clean-up day. There are so many easy things we can do to incorporate this mindset into our everyday activities.

Stop Trashing Our Oceans!

noreply@blogger.com (The Marine Mammal Center) — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 22:39:00 +0000

Cinta is a victim of ocean trash.

This month The Marine Mammal Center is launching a campaign called Stop Trashing Our Oceans! It's a timely reminder given that Coastal Clean-Up Day is right around the corner.

Every year the Center treats animals that are victims of ocean trash. Examples of ocean trash include ribbons from helium balloons like the ones wrapped around Cinta's flipper in the picture. But other ocean trash items are things like fishing line, netting, soda can plastic rings, and packing straps.

Imagine if everyone thought about how we are all connected to the ocean before disposing of any trash. By simply reducing the amount of ocean trash, we can similarly reduce the number of animals entangled by ocean trash.

When these animals ingest ocean trash or become entangled in it, they can become severely injured and even die. Fortunately, Cinta was rescued and treated by the Center. But not all marine mammals are so lucky.

But don't despair! There are many easy things to do to reduce your ocean trash footprint. Get started now by taking a look at our brand new web page on ocean trash. And while you are online, become a fan on Facebook too!

Learning From Death: Risso's Dolphin

noreply@blogger.com (The Marine Mammal Center) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 23:01:00 +0000

A Risso's dolphin in The Marine Mammal Center necropsy room.

Today the necropsy room was busy with staff conducting research on a Risso's dolphin from Monterey county.

The Risso's dolphin was spotted on August 29th, 2010, at Marina state beach in Marina, California, just north of Sanctuary Resort.

Although it is difficult to see an animal up close that is no longer alive, it is important to remember that we can learn from death. The information gleaned from animals like this one will help other living animals survive and hopefully thrive.

Scientists here at the Center conduct many research projects that can benefit multiple animals in a variety of ways. The information we learn is also used in educational programs.

The Center is careful to use all the information gathered so that even in death, there is life.

Tot, a Guadalupe Fur Seal, Wears Her Name Well

noreply@blogger.com (The Marine Mammal Center) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:51:00 +0000

Tot, a Guadalupe fur seal, at The Marine Mammal Center.

For such a tiny gal, this little girl fits a lot of charm into a very small package. The dictionary says tot means "babe", "angel" and "darling": all of these descriptions fit Tot perfectly. A little charmer, Tot has captured the hearts of the volunteers and staff during her hospital stay.

Tot is a Guadalupe fur seal. This kind of fur seal is found in Mexico and sometimes off of the California coast. Once there were many of them in California, but they almost became extinct due to hunting for their fur. With protection from the US and Mexican governments, there are now estimated to be over 7,000 Guadalupe fur seals.

Tot was originally released by The Marine Mammal Center on July 18, 2010, by boat just eight miles off of the Farallones islands.

Then, Tot was spotted a mere thirteen days later on Ocean Beach in San Francisco. This is called a "re-strand" at the Center. Emaciated and lethargic, Tot was being approached repeatedly by both people and dogs.

The Center rescued Tot and brought her to the Center for medical evaluation and treatment. Now Tot has gained enough weight and strength to return to her ocean home. Soon she will be released back into the wild. Safe travels, Tot!

"Sleeptight": Don't Let the (Bed) Bugs Bite!

noreply@blogger.com (The Marine Mammal Center) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 19:52:00 +0000

A mite under the microscope.

An x-ray of Sleeptight.

Sleeptight is a juvenile male California sea lion admitted to The Marine Mammal Center on July 18th. The animal was very underweight and on physical examination it was apparent he had pneumonia. His lab work showed a very high level of immunoglobulins in the blood, and radiographs confirmed a severe inflammatory reaction in the lungs. The weight loss and the elevated immunoglobulin levels indicated that this problem had been going on for quite some time. Although pneumonia itself is not uncommon, it is unusual to see severe pneumonia in such a young animal.

Vet staff decided to check for slow growing organisms like fungi or even odd things like cancer cells that have spread to the lungs, but they didn’t expect to see what they found.

Center staff ruled out fungi by doing some blood tests. The vet staff and volunteers treated Sleeptight with antibiotics to see if there would be a response to treatment indicating a bacterial pneumonia. Sleeptight didn’t get any better.

They took a look inside the airways and down into the small bronchioles of the lungs with a bronchoscope. The answer was surprising: Mites! Bugs living in the airways! This explained both the lung inflammation and the nature of the chronic change.

Lung mites are rarely reported in pinnipeds or other mammals. There are some lung mites in monkeys, apes, snakes, and birds, but they aren’t seen very often in seals and sea lions. These mites are most likely Orthohalarhacne diminuta related to the common nasal mite, but living in the lungs. There are rare scattered reports of finding them in the airways of fur seals, and at least one sea lion in Germany in 1973.

The good news is that with the correct diagnosis and the subsequent correct treatment, Sleeptight's prognosis is good. Here's to a good night's sleep for Sleeptight here at the Center...

Amgen, a California Sea Lion, Gets a Second Chance

noreply@blogger.com (The Marine Mammal Center) — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 21:21:00 +0000

Who says you don't get second chances? Amgen is a female yearling who got just that: a second chance at life.

Amgen was admitted to The Marine Mammal Center on 5/17/10 from Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf. When Amgen, a California sea lion, arrived at the Center, she was underweight and suffering from malnutrition. Amgen was treated for malnutrition through a special feeding regimen.

The goal at the Center is to feed the animal 10% of her body weight in whole fish every day. This diet, primarily composed of herring, ensures adequate nutrition and weight gain. Once Amgen's health began to improve, she was put on a maintenance diet which reduced her feed to 5% of her body weight each day.

While at the Center, staff and volunteers are especially careful to limit their interaction with Amgen to only what is absolutely necessary in order to preserve as much of her wild instincts as possible. After all, the ultimate goal is release back into the wild, and therefore the Center's staff must be as mindful as possible of this eventual return to the ocean.

On July 12th, Amgen and nine other animals were returned to the sea at Chimney Rock, Pt. Reyes. Amgen was accompanied by seven other California sea lions and two elephant seals: Adi, Franklin, Leavon, Lil Kiks, Vesper, Kiewit, Dickens, Snout and Jeanne Rae.

Tromar Returns to the Wild

noreply@blogger.com (The Marine Mammal Center) — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 18:58:00 +0000

Tromar recuperates at The Marine Mammal Center.

Tromar is a marine debris entanglement story that thankfully has a happy ending.

Tromar is a male California sea lion that became entangled in a green multifilament netting. The Marine Mammal Center rescued him from Its Beach in Santa Cruz on May 25, 2010.

Staff and volunteers at the Center removed the netting and nursed Tromar back to health. As his wounds healed, Tromar slowly became strong enough to return to his ocean home.

On July 7, 2010, the Center brought Tromar to Chimney Rock, Pt. Reyes, to be released back into the wild. Along with Tromar, several other California sea lions were released: Paradissi, Mill, Petersen, Vanek, Phobos and Peligro. All of these animals had also been rescued and treated by the Center.

Unfortunately, not all marine mammals entangled in objects that pollute the ocean fare so well. We are all connected to the ocean, and must remember that our actions impact these animals, often all too severely. However, there are many easy things you can incorporate into your daily life to improve the health of the ocean and its inhabitants. Learn what you can do to minimize human impacts on the ocean today!

Strange Birth Places for Sea Lion Pups

noreply@blogger.com (The Marine Mammal Center) — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 17:38:00 +0000

Sea lion pups take a nap at The Marine Mammal Center.

In a typical year, sea lion pups are born far from people, usually in remote places. This year was anything but typical. 2010 has been a year for strange birth places, such as Pier 39 and the Santa Cruz Boardwalk. These spots are unusual for two reasons: they are crowded with people and they are located far north of typical rookeries.

Female California sea lions normally give birth in large groups from the California Channel Islands south to Baja California, Mexico. Pups are not normally born in Monterey Bay.

Although we do not know exactly what is causing this unusual pupping year, we can point to some factors that may be involved. Pupping factors similar to 2010 were also seen in 1998 and 1999 - the last major El Nino years. Domoic acid poisoning may also be a contributor to this year of strange birth place patterns for pups.

The scientific community is closely watching and documenting the events from this year. Through these careful observations, we hope to gain additional knowledge about these marine mammals and the health of the ocean.

Want to learn more? Read about what researchers are learning from this year's events, and find out how you can help the Center's current patients.

Marine Mammal Day is a "Giant" Hit!

noreply@blogger.com (The Marine Mammal Center) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 22:29:00 +0000

The Giants' mascot, Lou Seal, celebrates at Marine Mammal Day.

A huge crowd came out to celebrate the 8th annual Marine Mammal Day hosted by the San Francisco Giants and The Marine Mammal Center at AT&T Park. The beloved event encourages fans to learn about the Center's work in rescuing, treating and releasing hundreds of sea lions, seals and other marine mammals each year. This year was particularly important because fans had a chance to help offset the enormous costs the Center has faced in treating one of the highest number of patient admits in the Center's history.

2010 has been extra busy for staff and volunteers who, so far, have admitted over 600 seals, sea lions and other marine mammals. That's more than last year by this same time! The influx of starving animals means the Center will go through well over 60,000 pounds of fish in the process of helping seal and sea lion patients build the strength and weight needed to be released healthy back into the wild.

Starting on Marine Mammal Day through June 30th, Giants fans and the Center's supporters can text the word FISH, a space, and a dollar amount to 27138 to make a donation to support the Center's Dollar-A-Pound challenge and treat a patient to a fish dinner. One dollar buys one pound of fish and ten dollars buys one meal for one pup.

The Marine Mammal Center thanks the San Francisco Giants for their support in making Marine Mammal Day a "Giant" hit!

Nine Animals Released in Honor of World Oceans Day

noreply@blogger.com (The Marine Mammal Center) — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 17:44:00 +0000

These five elephant seals were released in honor of World Oceans Day by The Marine Mammal Center: Bernarda, Parker, Florida, SOS Ellie and Lalaland.

The Marine Mammal Center released nine marine mammals in honor of World Oceans Day on June 8, 2010. The four sea lions and five elephant seals had been rescued and nurtured back to health at the Center.

The concept of World Oceans Day is relatively recent. In December 2008, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution declaring June 8 as World Oceans Day. The concept was first proposed in 1992 at the UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro. The official designation of World Oceans Day is an opportunity to raise global awareness of the current challenges faced by the international community in connection with the oceans.

What better way to celebrate our connection to the ocean than returning our patients to the wild? The five elephant seals released were Bernarda, Parker, Florida, SOS Ellie and Lalaland. Four sea lions were also released: Krabby Patty, Cashew, Pinto Bean and Lutris.

The release took place in Chimney Rock, Pt. Reyes, California. Learn what you can do to get involved with ocean health today.

Tromar the Sea Lion: A Reminder that We are All Connected to the Ocean

noreply@blogger.com (The Marine Mammal Center) — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 20:10:00 +0000

The green netting that The Marine Mammal Center successfully removed from around Tromar's neck.

Tromar is a male California sea lion that was rescued on May 25th in Santa Cruz. He was found entangled with a large wad of knotted netting around his lower neck in front of his fore flippers. The netting encircled his head and face causing some serious damage to his right eye. He was also underweight and dehydrated upon arrival at the Center. Fortunately, the staff removed the netting and started him on a course of antibiotics to reduce the chances of an infection spreading.

Tromar serves as yet another reminder of our connection to the ocean. No matter where we live, we are all connected to the ocean. Inland or coastal, everything we do has an impact on the ocean. In fact, about 10% of the animals we rescue each year suffer from some sort of entanglement due to marine debris like packing straps, fishing line, netting and balloon strings.

"What's maddening is that you look at the wide array of reasons why marine mammals strand such as illnesses and malnourishment and this one - marine debris - is something we can control if we just change our behaviors and attitudes about how we discard plastics, fishing line and other trash that becomes marine debris," said Jeff Boehm, executive director at The Marine Mammal Center.

Here are some simple things you can do today to help eliminate this problem:
1. Dispose of fishing lines and lures properly to help keep them out of the ocean. Animals can mistake them for food or become entangled in them.
2. Avoid releasing balloons into the sky as they often end up in the water.
3. Be sure to cut the six-pack plastic rings that come in packages of beverages.

Tromar is still at the Center receiving care. We'll keep you posted on his recovery...