![california sea lion under anethesia surrounded by medical staff](https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/storage/app/uploads/public/87b/054/50f/thumb__635_500_0_0_crop.jpg)
Hakai Magazine: How Terrestrial Turds Lead to Marine Maladies
- Parasites
- Pathology
- Toxoplasmosis
Diseases from land animals are killing marine mammals at an alarming rate.
Published in Hakai Magazine: January 2, 2024
For marine mammals, changes in ocean temperature and chemistry caused by a warming climate and pollution may be contributing to immunosuppression. Dr. Cara Field, Medical Director at The Marine Mammal Center explains that this could be making animals more susceptible to sarcocystosis and other diseases.
“These contaminants and pollutants often affect our immune systems,” she says. “We know that when an animal’s immune system is compromised, they are more susceptible to disease and severe parasitic infections, which is very concerning.”
Even as the Center’s network of first responders grows and care improves as the world’s largest marine mammal hospital, marine mammals will continue dying from these diseases, says Field. And that is because of the diffuse, complex, and global nature of the problem: namely our land-devouring, planet-altering industrial society.
She adds, “The more that we change and exploit our natural environment…the more we remove those natural barriers that nature has established over eons to help filter out things like these protozoal pathogens.”
Meet the Featured Patient
Decker the California sea lion had been diagnosed with sarcocystis. After four months of treatment and recovery at the Center, he was released back to the wild at Point Reyes National Seashore.
Read more about Decker
![California Decker](https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/storage/app/uploads/public/b48/8a6/fdf/thumb__542_0_0_0_crop.jpg)
Disease Research at The Marine Mammal Center
As the world’s largest marine mammal hospital, the Center learns from the hundreds of animals we rescue each year to help us all better understand the health of the ocean environment.
{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/Hawaiian monk seals\/2020\/cropped-images\/hms-pohaku-pre-rescue-photo-c-hawaii-marine-animal-response-0-0-640-500-1603150844.jpg","alt":"Hawaiian monk seal P\u014dhaku resting on Oahu before rescue","title":"Endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal Battling Toxoplasmosis","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/endangered-hawaiian-monk-seal-battling-toxoplasmosis","label":"Patient Update","date":"2020-02-20 04:00:00","type":"news"}
![Hawaiian monk seal Pōhaku resting on Oahu before rescue](https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/storage/app/uploads/public/452/44d/0d1/thumb__237_185_0_0_crop.jpg)
{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/California sea lions\/2019\/csl-gunther-by-bill-hunnewell-c-the-marine-mammal-center.jpg","alt":"","label":"Research Library","title":"Leptospirosis","link_url":"\/science-conservation\/research-library\/leptospirosis","type":"page"}
![](https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/storage/app/uploads/public/165/6c1/a11/thumb__237_185_0_0_crop.jpg)
{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/California sea lions\/cropped-images\/csl-eating-by-bill-hunnewell-c-the-marine-mammal-center-0-361-1799-1405-1617816863.jpg","alt":"California sea lion eating a fish","title":"Predicting Prognosis in Wildlife Rehabilitation: A Case Study of Leptospirosis in Sea Lions","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/predicting-prognosis-in-wildlife-rehabilitation-a-case-study-of-leptospirosis","label":"Research Paper","type":"publication"}
![California sea lion eating a fish](https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/storage/app/uploads/public/ef5/228/ffb/thumb__237_185_0_0_crop.jpg)
Predicting Prognosis in Wildlife Rehabilitation: A Case Study of Leptospirosis in Sea Lions
Read More{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/California sea lions\/2021\/cropped-images\/csl-bottlecap-by-bill-hunnewell-c-the-marine-mammal-center-1070-538-2499-1952-1630538744.jpeg","alt":"California sea lion Bottlecap","title":"Treating California Sea Lions with Sarcocystis-Associated Multi-Phase Muscle Breakdown","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/treating-california-sea-lions-with-sarcocystis-associated-multi-phase-muscle-breakdown","label":"Research Paper","type":"publication"}
![California sea lion Bottlecap](https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/storage/app/uploads/public/306/c8c/82e/thumb__237_185_0_0_crop.jpg)
Treating California Sea Lions with Sarcocystis-Associated Multi-Phase Muscle Breakdown
Read MoreYes, 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)
pathology
toxoplasmosis
Cara Field
Pádraig Duignan
California Sea Lion