Marine Mammal Care Center Los Angeles

-TO INSPIRE OCEAN CONSERVATION THROUGH MARINE MAMMAL RESCUE, REHABILITATION, EDUCATION, AND RESEARCH.

ANIMAL CARE: THE CENTER REHABILITATES SICK AND INJURED MARINE MAMMALS AT OUR VETERINARY HOSPITAL UNTIL THEY CAN BE RELEASED BACK TO THEIR OCEAN HOME. ANNUALLY, THE CENTER CARES FOR BETWEEN 250-500 SEA LIONS, ELEPHANT SEALS, FUR SEALS, AND HARBOR SEALS. SINCE 1992, WE'VE CARED FOR AND RELEASED MORE THAN 10,000 MARINE MAMMALS. AS A PARTNER IN THE NOAA STRANDING NETWORK, WE HELP TO GROW THE SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE ANIMAL POPULATIONS WE TREAT BY TRACKING THE OCCURRENCE OF DISEASE AND HUMAN-RELATED STRANDING EVENTS AND THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF TREATMENT PROTOCOLS AND BEST PRACTICES TO DELIVER OUTSTANDING CARE TO ANIMALS IN NEED. WE ALSO COLLABORATE WITH SCIENTISTS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY TO CONDUCT NON-INVASIVE RESEARCH.

EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: THE MARINE MAMMAL CARE CENTER'S EDUCATION PROGRAMS PROVIDE VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR K-12 SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, CONSERVATION PARTNERS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. OUR PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO BE INQUIRY-DRIVEN AND LEARNER-CENTRIC, EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANT ROLE THAT PEOPLE PLAY IN ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP. THE CENTER IS ALSO A UNIQUE TRAINING GROUND FOR VETERINARY AND ANIMAL CARE PROFESSIONALS -- COMBINING HANDS-ON PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE, INNOVATIVE MEDICINE, AND MEANINGFUL PROFESSIONAL COLLABORATION BETWEEN OUR STAFF AND VISITING VETERINARY AND MARINE SCIENCE STUDENTS, INTERNS, AND RESIDENTS WITH A HIGH-QUALITY ANIMAL CARE FOCUS. VETERINARY PROFESSIONALS AND STUDENTS CAN APPLY FOR COMPETITIVE INTERNSHIPS OR EXTERNSHIPS THAT PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL TRAINING ALONGSIDE EXPERTS ONSITE AT OUR HOSPITAL. AS A CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION, MARINE MAMMAL CARE CENTER GOES BEYOND INFORMING THE COMMUNITY TO TAKE MEANINGFUL ACTION. AT THE CORE OF OUR WORK IS THE RECOGNITION THAT OUR MISSION CANNOT BE ACHIEVED WITHOUT THE PUBLIC'S UNDERSTANDING, COMMITMENT, AND PARTICIPATION. WE SHARE INFORMATION WHILE CREATING EXPERIENCES THAT MOTIVATE, INSPIRE, AND EQUIP PEOPLE TO TAKE CONCRETE ACTIONS TO PROTECT THE OCEAN AND MARINE MAMMALS.

MARINE MAMMAL RESPONSE: MMCC-LA RESCUES AND RESPONDES TO MARINE MAMMALS ALONG THE ENTIRE COAST OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY INCLUDING CATALINA ISLAND. THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS THE MARINE MAMMAL CARE CENTER RESPONDS TO AND RESCUES EACH YEAR VARIES, BUT RECENT TRENDS INDICATE THAT STRANDINGS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE, WITH CYCLICAL SPIKES OCCURRING MORE FREQUENTLY. CAUSES OF STRANDINGS INCLUDE TOXICITY FROM HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS, MALNUTRITION, INFECTIOUS DISEASES, AND ENTANGLEMENTS, AMONG OTHER THREATS. ON AVERAGE, WE RESPOND TO 750-1,000 REPORTS OF MARINE MAMMALS IN DISTRESS AND RESCUE AND REHABILITATE ANYWHERE FROM 250-500 ANIMALS EACH YEAR. ADDITIONALLY, IN 2023, MMCC-LA JOINED NOAA'S LARGE WHALE ENTANGLEMENT RESPONSE NETWORK TO HELP SAVE THE GROWING NUMBER OF WHALES ENTANGLED IN FISHING GEAR THAT TRAVERSE OUR COASTLINE.