![California sea lion](https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/storage/app/uploads/public/470/3af/661/thumb__635_500_0_0_crop.jpg)
AP News: Banned Decades Ago, PCBs Still Posing Threat to Wildlife
- Cancer
- Pollution
AP News: Banned decades ago, PCBs still posing threat to wildlife
Published by AP News: December 13, 2021
The Marine Mammal Center responds to 800 stranded marine mammals yearly along 600 miles (965 kilometers) of California coast. A 2020 study of stranded adult sea lions concluded that PCBs and DDT, which also was banned decades ago, are contributing to cancer rates as high as 23%.
“That rate of cancer is mostly unprecedented in wildlife,” said Cara Field, medical director of the center, adding that the disease caused a “complete systemic breakdown” in the animals and their blubber had much higher levels of PCBs than those without cancer.
Cancer Research at The Marine Mammal Center
Cancer was first diagnosed in California sea lions at The Marine Mammal Center in 1979. Since then, our veterinarians and scientists have contributed to a number of scientific papers on cancer in marine mammal populations.
{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/California sea lions\/2018\/cropped-images\/csl-leadbelly-by-bill-hunnewell-c-the-marine-mammal-center-664-0-2502-1954-1607626905.jpg","alt":"California sea lion","title":"Contaminant Exposure and Herpesvirus Associated with Cancer in Wild Sea Lions","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/contaminant-exposure-and-herpesvirus-associated-with-cancer-in-wild-sea-lions","label":"Research Paper","type":"publication"}
![California sea lion](https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/storage/app/uploads/public/142/7a4/cd4/thumb__237_185_0_0_crop.jpg)
Contaminant Exposure and Herpesvirus Associated with Cancer in Wild Sea Lions
Read More{"image":"\/Animals\/Wild\/California sea lion\/cropped-images\/csl-on-a-rock-shutterstock-191-0-3072-2400-1617060454.jpg","alt":"California sea lion on a rock","title":"Unlocking the Role of a Genital Herpesvirus in California Sea Lion Cervical Cancer","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/unlocking-the-role-of-a-genital-herpesvirus-in-california-sea-lion-cervical-cancer","label":"Research Paper","type":"publication"}
![California sea lion on a rock](https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/storage/app/uploads/public/d91/332/134/thumb__237_185_0_0_crop.jpg)
Unlocking the Role of a Genital Herpesvirus in California Sea Lion Cervical Cancer
Read More{"image":"\/Animals\/Wild\/California sea lion\/cropped-images\/sea-lion-mom-pup-shutterstock-338-0-3131-2446-1603926801.jpg","alt":"California sea lion mom and pup","title":"Effects of In Vitro Exposure to PCBs on California Sea Lions","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/effects-of-in-vitro-exposure-to-pcbs-on-california-sea-lions","label":"Research Paper","type":"publication"}
![California sea lion mom and pup](https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/storage/app/uploads/public/13a/85f/36d/thumb__237_185_0_0_crop.jpg)
{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/California sea lions\/cropped-images\/csl-resting-c-the-marine-mammal-center-605-0-3523-2751-1603927376.jpg","alt":"California sea lion resting on the pen floor with a young sea lion in the background","title":"Prevalence of Cancer in Stranded California Sea Lions (2005-2015)","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/prevalence-of-cancer-in-stranded-california-sea-lions","label":"Research Paper","type":"publication"}
![California sea lion resting on the pen floor with a young sea lion in the background](https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/storage/app/uploads/public/28d/857/e05/thumb__237_185_0_0_crop.jpg)
{"image":"\/Animals\/Wild\/California sea lion\/cropped-images\/csl-monterey-photo-c-bill-hunnewell-1984-1534-1582-1236-1603927643.jpg","alt":"Group of sea lions on a rock","title":"No Evidence that Cancer in Sea Lions Is Spread Through Clonal Transmission","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/no-evidence-that-cancer-in-sea-lions-is-spread-through-clonal-transmission","label":"Research Paper","type":"publication"}
![Group of sea lions on a rock](https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/storage/app/uploads/public/cd2/fb5/fa2/thumb__237_185_0_0_crop.jpg)
{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/California sea lions\/2020\/cropped-images\/csl-boycrus-by-bill-hunnewell-c-the-marine-mammal-center-0-0-3110-2429-1603927870.jpg","alt":"California sea lion","title":"California Sea Lions as a Model for Studying a Common Cancer","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/california-sea-lions-as-a-model-for-studying-a-common-cancer","label":"Research Paper","type":"publication"}
![California sea lion](https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/storage/app/uploads/public/5dc/b7c/da3/thumb__237_185_0_0_crop.jpg)
Yes, I want to save a life!
![](https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/storage/app/uploads/public/f88/81c/668/thumb__370_289_0_0_crop.jpg)
Yes, I want to save a life!
You’ll be giving sick and injured animals the best possible care at the Center’s state-of-the-art hospital. With your gift today, you are giving a patient a second chance at life in the wild.
See Our Latest News
{"image":"\/People\/Action\/Veterinary care\/cropped-images\/f-rw22radiograph-examdr-sophie-whoriskey-l-and-megan-mcginnis-rcredit-heather-stocker-c-the-marine-mammal-centernoaa-permit-18786-03-144-15-1270-992-1721670262.jpg","alt":"Hawaiian monk seal in care at the marine mammal center receiving a radiograph exam","title":"Disney Recognizes Dr. Sophie Whoriskey\u2019s Work at The Marine Mammal Center in Hawaii to Save Monk Seals","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/disney-recognizes-dr-sophie-whoriskeys-work-at-the-marine-mammal-center-in-hawaii-to-save-monk-seals","label":"Press Release","date":"2024-07-22 03:30:00"}
![Hawaiian monk seal in care at the marine mammal center receiving a radiograph exam](https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/storage/app/uploads/public/450/fac/baa/thumb__237_185_0_0_crop.jpg)
Disney Recognizes Dr. Sophie Whoriskey’s Work at The Marine Mammal Center in Hawaii to Save Monk Seals
July 22, 2024
Read More{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/Hawaiian monk seals\/2024\/B. HMS_R8HA_in treatment at Ke Kai Ola_7.10.24_.jpg","alt":"Hawaiian monk seal in care at the marine mammal center","title":"Endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal R8HA Receiving Life-Saving Care at The Marine Mammal Center After Rescue and Transport from Kaua\u02bbi","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/endangered-hawaiian-monk-seal-r8ha-receiving-life-saving-care-at-the-marine-mammal-center-after-rescue-and-transport-from-kauai","label":"Press Release","date":"2024-07-16 05:00:00"}
![Hawaiian monk seal in care at the marine mammal center](https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/storage/app/uploads/public/cf4/946/fd3/thumb__237_185_0_0_crop.jpg)
Endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal R8HA Receiving Life-Saving Care at The Marine Mammal Center After Rescue and Transport from Kauaʻi
July 16, 2024
Read More{"image":"\/Animals\/Wild\/Gray whale\/cropped-images\/gray-whale-golden-gate-bridge-by-darrin-allen-c-the-marine-mammal-center-noaa-permit-26532-628-43-1272-992-1721771368.jpg","alt":"gray whales seen in the San Francisco Bay ","title":"LA Times: Why are Gray Whales and Other Marine Life Visiting San Francisco Bay?","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/la-times-why-are-gray-whales-and-other-marine-life-visiting-san-francisco-bay","label":"In the News","date":"2024-07-14 02:00:00"}
![gray whales seen in the San Francisco Bay](https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/storage/app/uploads/public/80e/fc1/ce2/thumb__237_185_0_0_crop.jpg)
LA Times: Why are Gray Whales and Other Marine Life Visiting San Francisco Bay?
July 14, 2024
Read More{"image":"\/Animals\/Generic Image\/cropped-images\/sea lion release conservation technology-159-4-1270-992-1720535809.png","alt":"A California sea lion with a small satellite tracking device on its back runs through the sand. ","title":"Conservation Technology: 5 Innovations In Ocean Health","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/conservation-technology-5-innovations-in-ocean-health","label":"News Update","date":"2024-07-09 02:00:00"}
![A California sea lion with a small satellite tracking device on its back runs through the sand.](https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/storage/app/uploads/public/658/4ac/c56/thumb__237_185_0_0_crop.jpg)
pollution
Cara Field
California Sea Lion