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Why Should We Talk About Climate Change?

Marine mammals are sentinels of the sea: ecosystem indicators whose health provides insights into both the ocean’s health and our own. And right now, they are sending SOS signals.  

The burning of fossil fuels, like coal, oil and methane gas for energy and transportation, is releasing carbon dioxide into the Earth’s atmosphere. That carbon dioxide is acting like a heat-trapping blanket, warming the air, land and ocean.  

While marine mammals are resilient, warming waters can move fish popu...

How Sea Otters Can Help Save the Planet

Within this ecosystem and at the top of its intricate food web are sea otters: guardians of the kelp forests. Sea otters are a keystone species, which means they are essential to maintaining a healthy ecosystem, and can even restore it. As top predators of invertebrates, sea otters dive to the ocean floor to forage for shelled creatures like urchins, crabs, clams and abalone. Unlike most marine mammals, they rely on a very rapid metabolism and extremely dense fur to stay warm in the chilly ocean. In fact, sea otters eat about a quarter of their body weight every day!
The impact of a keystone species extends far beyond the animals they primarily prey upon, so how does a sea otter’s big appetite protect an entire kelp ecosystem?

Conservation Technology: 5 Innovations In Ocean Health

As a global leader in marine mammal conservation, The Marine Mammal Center is conducting vital research and developing innovative techniques to address alarming ocean health concerns. With ocean conditions rapidly changing, our work is more important than ever—and technology is reshaping how we approach critical conservation efforts.  

Thanks to support from people like you, we are utilizing groundbreaking tools and strategies to better understand and safeguard marine mammals. Our experts are...

Your Visual Guide to Whale Breaching, Lunge Feeding and Other Behaviors

In recent years, increasing numbers of whales have been traveling into the nutrient-rich waters of San Francisco Bay to find food and seek refuge along their migrations. For nature enthusiasts and researchers alike, this means you don’t have to travel far to see these amazing whale behaviors from shore or boat.

Humpback whales started rebounding from the brink of extinction after hunting was put to a stop—a conservation win for endangered marine mammals. Since the population has grown, more wha

When and Where to See Elephant Seals in California (and Livestream!)

Seeing elephant seals in the wild is a truly remarkable experience, and coastal viewpoints in California offer breathtaking sights of this species that you won’t want to miss. As you watch these large, blubbery mammals interact in their natural habitat, the experience is made even more special knowing that you are witnessing a conservation success story.

Northern elephant seals were hunted to the brink of extinction by the end of the 19th century. After decades of being slaughtered for their bl
The Marine Mammal Center •

23 Amazing Conservation Efforts: Celebrating a Milestone for the Endangered Species Act

This December marks the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Endangered Species Act, a law that works to safeguard animals and plants in danger of being lost and preserve the ecosystems where they live for future generations.

Under this law, a species may be listed as either endangered or threatened. What does this mean? Endangered species are considered at risk of extinction and threatened species are likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future. When a species is listed under the Endange
The Marine Mammal Center •

Seal vs. Sea Lion: Your Guide to Knowing the Difference

Do seals have ears? One of the most obvious ways to distinguish seals from sea lions is by looking at the sides of their head.

Sometimes referred to as true seals or “earless” seals, marine mammals in the phocid family, such as harbor seals, have ears and hear very well, but do not have external ear flaps. Instead, true seals can be identified by their small ear holes.

Unlike true seals, sea lions and fur seals have external ear flaps; these animals are in the otariid family and are sometimes
The Marine Mammal Center •

What Do Sea Otters Eat? And Other Otter Trivia

Did you know that a sea otter’s diet helps fight climate change? Sea otters are a keystone species, which means they are essential to maintaining a healthy ecosystem. As top predators, they help control populations of purple sea urchins—which are voracious kelp grazers—so that kelp forests can flourish. And not only do these thriving kelp forests provide habitat to other species, but they’re also very efficient in capturing carbon dioxide, which strengthens our natural defenses against climate change.
The Marine Mammal Center •

Animal Enrichment in Rehabilitation

To ensure our patients are prepared—physically and mentally—to thrive in the wild, experts at The Marine Mammal Center incorporate behavioral enrichment into rehabilitation. Enrichment is any stimulus or activity that aims to improve the physical and psychological health of an animal. And as an educational tool during rehabilitation, enrichment encourages species-typical behaviors while helping an animal develop crucial problem-solving and survival skills.

Our animal care experts use their beha
The Marine Mammal Center •

5 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day

Observing wildlife is among the best ways to celebrate Earth Day and feel a renewed sense of reverence for the natural world. And along the California coast during springtime, you have a good chance of seeing migrating gray whales. You can help protect these gentle giants by participating in community science and reporting your sightings.

Newborn harbor seal pups can also be observed on California beaches around this time. These pups are often seen resting on their own while their mother hunts
The Marine Mammal Center •

How To See the Gray Whale Migration and Help Save a Life

Thousands of gray whales embark on the longest migration of any mammal each year, swimming up to 14,000 miles roundtrip from their Arctic feeding grounds to the warm lagoons of Mexico. As they generally stay in shallow waters, gray whales are a truly coastal species, and there are many amazing opportunities to see them from California’s beaches, headlands and coastal cliffs.

Once on the verge of extinction, the recovery of the eastern North Pacific gray whale population was considered a monumen
The Marine Mammal Center •

Pupping Season Is Underway as Young Elephant Seals Like Cone Rehabilitate at Our Hospital

Each winter along the California coast, northern elephant seals gather on their breeding beaches, called rookeries, to give birth and mate. During the first few months of the year, the rookeries are full of 75-pound newborn pups galumphing after their mothers.

In mid-February, our 24-hour rescue hotline received a call from a concerned beachgoer at Año Nuevo State Park, a popular elephant seal rookery, reporting that a young pup was stranded and appeared to be in desperate need of help.
The Marine Mammal Center •

Two Orphaned Steller Sea Lion Pups Get a Second Chance at Life

In June 2021, Steller sea lion pup Colby was spotted with no mother in sight in Tillamook, Oregon. Steller sea lions rely on their mothers for about a year as they nurse and learn how to dive, feed themselves and become independent. At only a few days old, this orphaned pup had little chance of survival and it was clear that intervention was needed. Luckily for Colby, our stranding network partner, World Vets, was called to the scene to rescue him from what would have been a devastating fate.
The Marine Mammal Center •

Threatened Southern Sea Otter Found Stranded with His Life at Stake

The sea otter tote can be adjusted based on where an individual patient is in its recovery. Importantly, our animal care experts can control the water temperature. As otters need salt water access to groom and maintain their coats, warm water slows their heat loss when their coat is compromised, allowing more time to groom. The tote also has a dry haul-out space where the air temperature is warmed and circulated via a heat lamp fan. Switching between the warm water and the warm, dry haulout help
Challenged Athletes Foundation •

Össur and CAF Redefine Mobility

When many people think of mobility, the basic ability to get around the house may come to mind. But for Össur and the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF), mobility is a progression and ultimately personal definition. Whether the goal is to play tag at the park or cross the finish line of a triathlon, our 20-year partnership empowers individuals with limb loss and limb difference to choose and achieve their own vision of mobility.

Össur is a global leader in non-invasive orthopaedics that all
Challenged Athletes Foundation •

Together CAF and Smoothie King Empower Athletes of All Abilities

Smoothie King and Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) share our commitments of empowering people to live active and healthy lifestyles. Through carefully chosen ingredients, including whole non-GMO fruits and organic veggies, Smoothie King smoothies are an integral part of many health and fitness journeys. As our Global Partner since 2018, Smoothie King has played a key role in helping CAF create access to adaptive sports for thousands of people with permanent physical disabilities.

In Februar