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Seal-ebrate sea lion birthday month with us

Sea what makes June so special as we spotlight playful, charismatic sea lions during their birthday month. Get fun facts, patient stories and a special 10% off retail offer straight to your inbox.

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Your Call Makes a Difference

Thank you for calling The Marine Mammal Center’s hotline to report a marine mammal in need. 

Our dispatch team relies on caring people like you to help us locate sick, injured or abandoned marine mammals that may need assistance. Since our founding in 1975, we’ve rescued more than 27,000 animals, and many of those rescues started with a call just like yours. Every report helps us better understand marine mammal activity and health along the California coast.

What Happens After Your Call

Our trained responders review each unique case to determine what actions to take before, during and after a rescue. Our response team often triages multiple cases at the same time.

Monitor

We may monitor animals that do not need immediate assistance as sometimes they simply need time to rest and recover naturally. In some cases, acting too quickly can cause stress or safety risks. We may also wait until animals are in a safer, more accessible location before attempting a rescue.

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Rescue

We use a variety of equipment such as boards, nets, crates and even boats to rescue animals. Each rescue attempt requires careful planning, patience and expert coordination to keep both animals and responders safe.

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Treatment

Animals receive an intake exam by our veterinary team. We personalize care plans, including a healthy diet and medication, so they get the best chance of survival after being transported to our hospital in Sausalito.

Release

Our goal is to return each patient to their ocean home. You can watch patients get released on our Point Reyes livestream.

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Track a Rescued Animal

Animals that are rescued and brough to our hospital for treatmentwill appear in our online patient database with other past and present rescued animals.

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Stay Connected

Sign up to receive emails from The Marine Mammal Center to stay updated on how you can be a champion for marine mammals and ocean health.

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Plan a Visit

Come see how we care for the patients we rescue at our Sausalito hospital and visitor’s center. We’re open to the public Friday through Monday from 10am to 4pm. Tickets are free and must be reserved online in advance.

We’re located in the Marin Headlands just over the Golden Gate Bridge at:

2000 Bunker Road
Sausalito, CA 94965

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Yes, I want to save a life!

By making the call, you helped our team take the first step in responding. You can make an even greater impact by helping provide the care patients need for a second chance in their ocean home.

Practice Safe Wildlife Viewing

Follow these guidelines to safely share beaches and shorelines with marine mammals.

Keep Your Distance

Give marine mammals space to rest. Enjoy them from a safe distance of at least 150 feet (50 yards) on local beaches and in the water. Keep dogs on a leash.

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Use Your Zoom

It’s OK to take photos and admire the animals, but if an animal reacts to your presence, then you’re too close. No SEAL-FIES please!

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Call the Experts

Approaching a marine mammal, even one that is sick, can be dangerous to you and cause additional harm to the animal. The best way to help is to call our hotline at 415-289-SEAL (7325). Experts will monitor the animal and, if necessary, send trained responders to rescue it safely.

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