Cara Field, DVM, Ph.D., Dipl. ACZM
Embracing the mixture of aquatic animal health, scientific discovery and sharing what we learn with the global community fuels my hope that, together, we can make positive changes for ocean and human health.
Dr. Cara Field can trace her long history at The Marine Mammal Center back to when she served as an animal care volunteer while attending graduate and veterinary school. Now as Medical Director, Cara oversees the care and health of the Center’s marine mammal patients, collaborates on numerous research projects and directs our Teaching Hospital program.
Cara is a certified Diplomate in the American College of Zoological Medicine, and one of only 30 Diplomates with the specialty of Aquatic Animal Medicine. Each year, Cara mentors the Veterinary Intern and Fellow as well as dozens of residents, students and other professionals who come to the Center to study marine mammal medicine and health. This key aspect of sharing our medical and scientific knowledge is especially meaningful to her.
Cara completed the dual DVM/Ph.D degree program at UC Davis in 2005, where she studied the effects of high pressure on blood platelets from elephant seals, the world’s deepest diving seal. She then worked at Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut for three years as a post-doctoral researcher studying marine mammal brucellosis and was subsequently the Intern Veterinarian there.
Cara’s past work history also includes working in New Orleans as Associate Veterinarian at the Audubon Nature Institute, including caring for hundreds of oiled marine animals during the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and working as the Senior Associate Veterinarian at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, one of the largest aquariums in the world. She moved back to California to work at The Marine Mammal Center in 2014 and has travelled extensively to different parts of the world to teach aquatic animal medicine and health.
Areas of Expertise
- Veterinary Medicine
- Aquatic Animal Health
- Global Impact of Marine Mammal Diseases, including Biotoxins and Cancer
- Effects of Climate Change on Ocean Health
- Marine Mammal Physiology
Talk to Our Experts
Our experts are available to comment on a variety of marine mammal and ocean health issues. Please contact our PR team at media@tmmc.org to schedule an interview.
Marine Science Careers
Ever wondered how to become a marine mammal veterinarian? Learn what it takes and find out how Dr. Cara Field uses her role as a teacher to help protect our ocean for future generations.
Recent Publications
{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/California sea lions\/cropped-images\/csl-by-bill-hunnewell-c-the-marine-mammal-center-3-2-318-2819-2252-1600897445.jpg","alt":"California sea lion","title":"Establishing Dosing Requirements for an Anti-Fungal Medication in Young Sea Lions","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/establishing-dosing-requirements-for-an-anti-fungal-medication-in-young-sea-lions","label":"Research Paper"}
Establishing Dosing Requirements for an Anti-Fungal Medication in Young Sea Lions
Read More{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/California sea lions\/csl-photo-by-bill-hunnewell-c-the-marine-mammal-center-12.jpg","alt":"two California sea lions","title":"Multi-Phase Muscle Breakdown in California Sea Lions","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/multi-phase-muscle-breakdown-in-california-sea-lions","label":"Research Paper"}
{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/Elephant seals\/cropped-images\/es-by-bill-hunnewell-c-the-marine-mammal-center-3-2-1214-3454-3512-1600891002.jpg","alt":"northern elephant seal","title":"Diagnostic Tests for Lungworm-Infected Northern Elephant Seals","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/diagnostic-tests-for-lungworm-infected-northern-elephant-seals","label":"Research Paper"}
{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/Harbor seals\/hs-by-bill-hunnewell-c-the-marine-mammal-center-6.jpg","alt":"a group of harbor seals in the water","title":"Evaluating Whether Lactate Levels in the Blood Can Predict Recovery","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/evaluating-whether-lactate-levels-in-the-blood-can-predict-recovery","label":"Research Paper"}
{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/Elephant seals\/2018\/es-seafoam-by-bill-hunnewell-c-the-marine-mammal-center-1.jpg","alt":"northern elephant seal with mouth open, showing teeth","title":"Treatment of Canine Tooth Fractures in the Northern Elephant Seal: Three Cases","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/treatment-of-canine-tooth-fractures-in-the-northern-elephant-seal-three-cases","label":"Research Paper"}
Treatment of Canine Tooth Fractures in the Northern Elephant Seal: Three Cases
Read More{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/California sea lions\/2020\/csl-oso-by-bill-hunnewell-c-the-marine-mammal-center-1.jpg","alt":"California sea lion","title":"Loss of Neuron Connectors in the Brains of Sea Lions with Epilepsy","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/loss-of-neuron-connectors-in-the-brains-of-sea-lions-with-epilepsy","label":"Research Paper"}
{"image":"\/Animals\/Wild\/Sea otter\/sea-otter-photo-c-brian-simuro.jpeg","alt":"sea otter in a seagrass bed","title":"New Brucella Bacterial Infection in Southern Sea Otters","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/new-brucella-bacterial-infection-in-southern-sea-otters","label":"Research Paper"}
{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/Harbor seals\/2019\/cropped-images\/hs-aquapup-1-by-bill-hunnewell-c-the-marine-mammal-center-164-4-2324-1816-1606771695.jpg","alt":"two harbor seals","title":"Effects of Mercury Exposure in Harbor Seal Pups","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/effects-of-mercury-exposure-in-harbor-seal-pups","label":"Research Paper"}
{"image":"\/Animals\/Wild\/Other species\/cropped-images\/galapagos-sea-lion-shutterstock-954-376-2988-2334-1617750524.jpg","alt":"Galapagos sea lion","title":"Mycoplasmas in Galapagos Sea Lions and Their Association with Other Respiratory Pathogens","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/occurrence-of-mycoplasmas-in-galapagos-sea-lions","label":"Research Paper"}
Mycoplasmas in Galapagos Sea Lions and Their Association with Other Respiratory Pathogens
Read More{"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"}
Predicting Prognosis in Wildlife Rehabilitation: A Case Study of Leptospirosis in Sea Lions
Read More{"image":"\/Animals\/Wild\/Elephant seal\/cropped-images\/elephant-seal-bull-shutterstock-640-0-3728-2911-1626818513.jpg","alt":"large northern elephant seal on a beach","title":"Use of Potassium Chloride for Low-Residue Euthanasia of Anesthetized Seals and Sea Lions","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/use-of-potassium-chloride-for-low-residue-euthanasia-of-anesthetized-seals-and-sea-lions","label":"Research Paper"}
Use of Potassium Chloride for Low-Residue Euthanasia of Anesthetized Seals and 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"}
Treating California Sea Lions with Sarcocystis-Associated Multi-Phase Muscle Breakdown
Read More{"image":"\/Animals\/Wild\/Sea otter\/cropped-images\/sea-otter-grooming-shutterstock-882-2-5118-3997-1641932278.jpg","alt":"southern sea otter grooming its face","title":"Genetics and Pathology Associated with Klebsiella Pneumonia","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/genetics-and-pathology-associated-with-klebsiella-pneumonia","label":"Research Paper"}
{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/California sea lions\/cropped-images\/csl-ledge-by-bill-hunnewell-c-the-marine-mammal-center-394-10-2918-2279-1604525467.jpg","alt":"California sea lion pups","title":"Clinical and Microbiological Characterization of Lymph Node Abscesses in Young Sea Lions","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/clinical-and-microbiological-characterization-of-lymph-node-abscesses-in-young-sea-lions","label":"Research Paper"}
Clinical and Microbiological Characterization of Lymph Node Abscesses in Young Sea Lions
Read More{"image":"\/Animals\/Wild\/Harbor seal\/cropped-images\/harbor-seals-shutterstock-307-0-4076-3184-1645666025.jpg","alt":"harbor seal moms and pups on a beach","title":"Fetal Mercury Concentrations in Harbor Seals: Associated Drivers and Outcomes","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/fetal-mercury-concentrations-in-harbor-seals-associated-drivers-and-outcomes","label":"Research Paper"}
Fetal Mercury Concentrations in Harbor Seals: Associated Drivers and Outcomes
Read More{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/Guadalupe fur seals\/2022\/cropped-images\/gfs-milo-by-bill-hunnewell-c-the-marine-mammal-center-noaa-permit-18786-0-1484-3603-2814-1698267858.jpg","alt":"Guadalupe fur seal in rehabilitation","title":"Mortality in an Off-Shore Predator Critical Habitat During the Northeast Pacific Marine Heatwave","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/mortality-in-an-off-shore-predator-critical-habitat-during-the-northeast-pacific-marine-heatwave","label":"Research Paper"}
Mortality in an Off-Shore Predator Critical Habitat During the Northeast Pacific Marine Heatwave
Read More