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About Our Patients...
Pinnipeds (Seals and Sea Lions)
and Cetaceans(Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises)
What is a Pinniped?
What should I do if I see a pinniped (seal or sea lion) on the beach?
What is a Cetacean?
What do I do if I see a cetacean (whale, dolphin or porpoise) on the beach?
Do pinnipeds bite?
What do the pinnipeds noises mean?
What is a Cetacean?
What do pinnipeds eat?
Do pinnipeds have any predators?
Do the animals have to remain in water?
About Our Center...
Pacific Marine Mammal Center
in Laguna Beach, CA
What types of animals does Pacific Mammal Center care for?
Where do the animals come from?
How do you rescue the animals?
What equipment is used to rescue the animals?
What are the most common problems for stranded pinnipeds in need of rescue?
Do you get animals with shark bites?
Do you have a veterinarian on staff?
How are medications administered?
Do the pools at the Center contain salt water?
Why are some of the pens screened from viewing?
How long do the animals remain at the Center?
How often are the animals fed?
Are the pups bottle-fed?
Do the animals like humans and do the volunteers get attached to the Center's patients?
Why do you ask visitors not to talk to the animals?
What is done with animals that die at the Center?
How do you decide when an animal is ready for release and how do you choose where to release them?
How does the Center follow up on released animals?
How is the Center funded?
What is your busiest season?
How can I get involved?
What is a pinniped?

"PINNIPEDIA" is the scientific grouping for all seals, sea lions and walruses. It means, "feather or fin-footed." All members of this group (seals, sea lions and walruses) are referred to as pinnipeds. There are two types of pinnipeds that we care for at Pacific Marine Mammal Center: the "true seals" (belonging to the Family Phocidae) and the eared seals (belonging to the Family Otariidae).

There are many differences between the two, most apparently their ears. Phocids, or "true seals," have small ear holes while Otariids have little external ear flaps.

Phocids have short foreflippers with claws. On land, they use their short foreflippers to drag themselves along on their bellies. Otariids, or "eared seals" have long foreflippers they use to propel themselves through the water. On land, Otariids can maneuver much more easily than Phocids because Otariids are able to rotate their hindflippers underneath their bodies and walk on all fours rather than dragging themselves along in the manner of Phocids.

What should I do if I see a pinniped (seal or sea lion) on the beach?

Pinnipeds divide their time between the ocean and the beach, returning to shore to rest, mate, give birth, and for some species molt their fur. Seals and sea lions will come ashore, as well, to stay warm and dry when feeling ill. Because they seek rest on the beach for a variety of reasons, not all seals and sea lions on the beach require intervention. Below are steps to follow if you DO see a seal or sea lion on the beach:

  1. KEEP YOUR DISTANCE
    Marine mammals are protected by Federal Law and it is unlawful for unauthorized persons to handle them. Do not touch or feed the animal. Do not try to return the animal to the water. If the animal is ill, it has come on shore to be warm and dry. Feeding a severely malnourished animal can actually hurt them!
  2. KEEP OTHERS AWAY
    To assure the safety of the public and the animal, please keep others and their pets away from the pinniped. These are wild animals and they do bite, allowing the opportunity for disease transmittal.
  3. MAKE NECESSARY OBSERVATIONS
    From a minimum distance of 50 feet, observe the animal's physical and behavioral characteristics such as approximate length, fur color, and the presence or absence of external ear flaps. This will help us determine the rescue equipment and volunteers needed. Observe the overall appearance of the animal. Is the animal so thin that you can see its ribs and spine? Are there visible wounds? Does the animal have any identification tags or markings?
  4. DETERMINE THE EXACT LOCATION
    For accurate directions, determine the exact location of the stranded animal. We will not be able to help the animal if we are unable to find it.
  5. LOCATE THE NEAREST PHONE
    From the nearest phone, call Pacific Marine Mammal Center at 949.494.3050
What is a Cetacean?

"Cetacea" is the scientific grouping for all whales, dolphins and porpoises. All members of this group (whales, dolphins and porpoises) are referred to as cetaceans.

What do I do if I see a cetacean (whale, dolphin or porpoise) on the beach?

Stranded cetaceans should be reported to us IMMEDIATELY if found on the beach; then follow the same instructions as above.
DO NOT TOUCH THE ANIMAL.

Do pinnipeds bite?

Yes! This is one of the reasons you need to keep your distance from them. These animals bite out of self-defense rather than a desire to attack. At the Center, we wear protective clothing when working with the animals. We do not talk to the animals or pet them. These are wild animals and will be returned to their natural habitat. Animals that are aggressive have a better chance of survival in the wild.

What do the pinnipeds noises mean?

Vocalization serves several purposes in seals and sea lions just as in humans. Some animals, particularly the young ones, vocalize to get attention when they want food. Other vocalizations are signs of aggression and warning to other animals. Large male sea lions bark to advertise their dominance. Some animals may vocalize when they are stressed.

What do pinnipeds eat?

Pinnipeds eat a variety of food including fish, squid, crabs and krill.

Do pinnipeds have any predators?

Yes, but only a few - sharks, orcas and man.

Do the animals have to remain in water?

Pinnipeds spend part of their lives out of water, so do not require a consistently aquatic environment. Elephant seals, for example, spend several months on shore during the breeding and molting season. At our Center, sick animals spend a large portion of the day resting and sleeping on land.

What types of animals does Pacific Marine Mammal Center care for?

There are 33 species of pinnipeds, all of which would be cared for by PMMC if they were found along the stretch of beach served by our facility. However, the most common to Southern California are Northern elephant seals, Pacific harbor seals, and California sea lions.

Occasionally, we treat Northern fur seals. PMMC is also the only temporary holding facility for small whales and dolphins between Santa Barbara and San Diego.

Where do the animals come from?

PMMC is responsible for animals stranded on beaches along the Orange County coast. The range extends north to Seal Beach and south to San Onofre. We are a member of the Marine Mammal Stranding Network that services animals along the entire coastline of the United States.

How do you rescue the animals?

All of the animals at PMMC were found stranded on the beaches, jetties or oil platforms along the coast that we serve. When we are notified of a stranded animal, we rescue it only if there is cause to do so. While it is quite normal for a pinniped to come out onto land and rest, it is not normal for them to do so in populated areas nor is it normal for them to allow humans anywhere near them.

When a call comes in to our center, it is important that we receive as much accurate information about the animal as possible to assess the size of the team and equipment that will be necessary for the rescue. Information such as the size, species, and disposition of the animal, as well as any immediately noticeable wounds and its exact geographic location, allow us to assemble the proper rescue team and equipment for the rescue. Once the animal is secured in our rescue truck, it is transported immediately to our facility in Laguna Beach.

What equipment is used to rescue the animals?

The standard rescue equipment consists of a cage, herding boards, hoop nets, and blankets for restraint.

What are the most common problems for stranded pinnipeds in need of rescue?

The majority of the pinnipeds we rescue are severely malnourished and suffer from respiratory infections. We also treat animals with wounds from fish hooks, fishing line, gill nets and propellers. Occasionally, we treat animals with wounds from gunshots or seal bombs.

Do you get animals with shark bites?

Occasionally, we rescue animals that appear to have shark bites. In a few cases, we have been able to positively identify shark bites by the shape of the wound. Sharks are a major predator of seals and sea lions and most shark attacks probably result in successful kills rather than mere injuries.

Do you have a veterinarian on staff?

We have a highly qualified Animal Care Director on site daily and have a veterinarian on call 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. The resident veterinarian, besides being on call, visits the center once a week to make the "rounds" of his patients, checking on the progress of each animal and making recommendations for its care to the Animal Care Director.

How are medications administered?

Medications are administered in a variety of ways based on the health of the animal. Some medication is given by injection, which requires several people to be available to restrain the animal. If the animal is eating, medication is inserted into the fish along with vitamins and salt tablets during feeding. If the animal is receiving formula, pills are ground up and added to the formula.

Do the pools at the Center contain salt water?

The pools at PMMC contain fresh water. The animals do not require salt water, with the exception of cetaceans. We do give each animal salt tablets daily to make up for any salt loss they may experience.

Why are some of the pens screened from viewing?

Screening is used for adult California sea lions that are more sensitive to being out of their natural environment. Screening helps limit the impact of human activity around those pens and serves to reduce the animal's stress.

How long do the animals remain at the Center?

The length of stay varies with each patient and depends on the severity of their medical problems. However, the average length of stay is three months.

How often are the animals fed?

Animals are placed on feeding schedules appropriate to the level of nourishment needed. Malnourished pups are generally tube fed formula every 3-4 hours when they first arrive. Their formula consists of fish, water, vitamins, electrolytes, powdered milk for marine mammals and any necessary medications. Animals healthy enough to eat on their own are fed whole fish 2-3 times a day.

Are the pups bottle-fed?

Pups are not bottle fed for many reasons. It takes pups a long time to learn how to nurse from a bottle and it is equally difficult to wean them from the bottle and teach them to eat fish. Therefore, pups are typically tube fed which is faster, more efficient, and allows the pup to make the transition to fish much more easily. Most importantly, bottle-feeding requires a significant amount of human interaction with the animal, which we try to minimize.

Do the animals like humans and do the volunteers get attached to the Center's patients?

Even with minimal interaction protocol, the animals in our care come to associate our volunteers with food at certain times each day. They respond by coming closer to the pen gates or vocalizing as we walk by. However, the animals remain cautious to our presence and can be easily frightened by sudden movements, loud noise, and movements indicating possible restraint. When feeling threatened, they will bite so our volunteers wear protective clothing and use equipment to reduce the risk of being harmed by an animal's bite.

These animals are wild and our goal is to release them back into the ocean. While we do get attached to them, we make every effort to avoid domestication of these wild animals. It is much to the animal's advantage to avoid humans in their natural habitat. Animals near boats, docks, and public beaches have a higher risk of injury from entanglement, fish hooks, gunshot wounds, as well as harassment. By preventing the socialization of animals at the Center, we hope to minimize the amount of human interactions these animals will encounter after their release back into the wild.

Why do you ask visitors not to talk to the animals?

For all of the same reasons mentioned above, we request that visitors, volunteers, and staff refrain from making regular eye contact or talking to our patients while they are in our care.

What is done with animals that die at the Center?

Despite tireless efforts, the reality is that some animals are unable to be saved no matter how much medical attention we provide. For animals that die at the Center, a necropsy (like an autopsy) is performed to help determine the cause of death and to provide insight into the illnesses and diseases afflicting local marine mammal populations.

How do you decide when an animal is ready for release and how do you choose where to release them?

The criteria that determine when our patients are ready to be released are healthy body weight, diving independently for fish and sound medical condition.

How does the Center follow up on released animals?

All released animals are tagged on their flipper with an orange numbered tag, registered at Pacific Marine Mammal Center and the National Marine Fisheries Service. Females are tagged on the right flipper and males on the left. Sea lions are tagged on their foreflipper, while elephant seals and harbor seals are tagged on their hindflipper. We frequently receive calls from beachcombers, surfers and fishermen who have sited one of our animals and it is a gratifying experience to hear that our patients are living healthy in their natural habitat.

How is the Center funded?

Pacific Marine Mammal Center receives donations from individuals and organizations, which are the primary means through which we are able to maintain our facilities and services. We are not supported by the government other than the land lease that we have in place through the City of Laguna Beach. We raise money through memberships, educational programs, special events, and our gift shop.

What is your busiest season?

Our busiest season is during the winter and early spring. The winter/early spring period is the time when pups are weaning from their mothers and are more susceptible to natural medical issues such as malnourishment and dehydration. El Nino years frequently create a significant increase in the number of animals in need of care.

How can I get involved?

PMMC welcomes volunteers, new members, animal sponsors, and any other form of support of its facilities and services. To learn more about opportunities to get involved, call us at 949.494.3050 or visit our web site at www.pacificmmc.org

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN OUR PATIENTS!
 
Pacific Marine Mammal Center
20612 Laguna Canyon Road
Laguna Beach, California, USA   92651
(949) 494-3050 phone • (949) 494-2802 fax
info@pacificmmc.org