California Wildlife Center helps stranded marine mammals

California Wildlife Center's Marine Mammal Response Team provides response, assessment and transport for marine mammals requiring medical assistance on the 27 miles of Malibu beaches.

When the team is called, trained staff and volunteers go to the site of the marine mammal stranding to assess the animal for signs of illness. If the animal needs medical assistance, the creature is transported to the L.A. County marine mammal rehabilitation facility in San Pedro.

Not all marine mammals on the beach require rescue. The assessment process allows the team to determine if the animal is in need of rescue, or simply on the beach to rest and warm up.

The busy stranding season is quickly approaching for the Team, with recently-weaned California Sea Lion pups showing up on the beaches beginning in late December. These young animals are typically malnourished and have been unable to figure out the complicated hunting and fishing process on their own.

The California Sea Lions precede the next group of malnourished young ones, the Northern Elephant Seals, which appear on the shores beginning in late February.

Residents who find a seal or sea lion on the beach are urged not to approach or touch the animal, attempt to put it back in the water or pour water on it. These are wild animals and can inflict serious bites. They have come to the beach to warm up due to lack of insulation as they begin to lose body weight.

If a stranded mammal is seen on a beach, keep other people and dogs away and call the team at (310) 458-WILD.

In 2007, the team responded to almost 250 stranded marine mammals and rescued 57 California Sea Lions, 23 Northern Elephant Seals, three harbor seals and one common dolphin in need of medical assistance. California Wildlife Center has made a commitment to continue to fund the program at the expense of limited general operating funds.

For more information about the program or to make a donation, call Tim Weis, director of business administration, at (818) 222-2658 or e-mail tim @californiawildlifecenter.org.

For information about joining the marine mammal volunteer program, e-mail Cindy at cynthia@california wildlifecenter.org.