The Marine Mammal Center

Since 1975, we've rescued more than 24,000 marine mammals 🚑🦦 along over 600 miles of coastline in California and Hawai‘i 🦭🌊🌺 But we weren't always the world's largest marine mammal hospital! Check out these photos from the historical archive 🎞️ to get a sense of just how far our state-of-the-art facility has come 🏥 Don't just take our word for it, see for yourself when you visit our Sausalito hospital. Just reserve a general admission ticket - completely free of charge - ahead of your visit at https://bit.ly/3scar7M.

Unprecedented numbers of gray whales have been observed swimming under the Golden Gate Bridge and well into San Francisco Bay 🌁 Why? Cetacean expert Bill Keener, one of our researchers, speaks on the increased number of whales seen in the Bay, why this may be, as well as the threats whales face in urban waters in a recent article in The Mercury News. Read the full story to learn more about our whale identification catalogue and data-driven theories about these more frequent visitors at https://lnkd.in/g-iHAqbs.

So happy to host Dr. Rick Spinrad, NOAA Administrator, at Ke Kai Ola, the base of operations for The Marine Mammal Center's Hawai'i conservation program last month. This, on top of Dr. Spinrad's visit to The Marine Mammal Center and our headquarters in Sausalito, California, a year ago January. Our partnership with NOAA is strong and potent. We are realizing impact for marine mammals and the ocean each and every day with every patient we treat, and it's gratifying to have the head of the federal agency we work with visit us and acknowledge and celebrate our efforts.

Seal-ebrating the holiday outdoors? 🏖 View wildlife safely with these tips: ⚠️ Keep a safe distance of at least 50 yards. If an animal is reacting to you (e.g. lifting its head and looking around), you are too close. 📷 Use your zoom. Admire and take photos from a respectful distance so as not to disturb their natural behaviors. 🦮 Leash your pets. For the safety of your animal and wildlife, it's best to keep them apart. ☎️ Call our hotline at 415-289-SEAL (7325) to report a marine mammal in distress. Share this post to help spread the word 🤝 We hope you have a safe, fun and relaxing holiday! 🎥 Ted Melden

Do you love building relationships? 🫱🏾🫲🏼 Are you an expert in fundraising? 💌 Hoping to work in ocean conservation? 🌊 We are looking for a seasoned Major Gifts Officer to join our team! This role will enable the sustainability, evolution and expansion of our conservation work by managing a dynamic portfolio and inspiring others to learn more about our programs. Learn more and apply now at https://bit.ly/45Lvi4e. 📷 Bill Hunnewell

This year we completed recruitment of our executive leadership team with three key additions: Dr. Dominic Travis as Chief Program Officer, Robyn Hettrich as Chief People and Culture Officer, and Stephanie Ladeira as Chief Advancement Officer. “We are entering 2024 in a unique position, having recruited incredibly talented leaders that bring experience beyond the ocean and marine life. Their qualifications provide diverse thinking and successful approaches from other animal-related nonprofits and conservation organizations that can translate to our work,” said Cecily Majerus, our CEO. Find out the diverse skills and experiences of our leadership team, and how that will translate to advancing ocean conservation, at https://bit.ly/4bhByBM. 📷 Chris Deimler

Our experts recently shared an extensive body of work at the 55th Annual International Association of Aquatic Animal Medicine (IAAAM) Conference in Ireland 🇮🇪 Center colleagues presented results from their work with anesthetizing marine mammals, rapid diagnosis of leptospirosis, Guadalupe fur seal health and more. This work not only helps improve care for our patients, but also advances the fields of marine mammal health and ocean conservation globally 🌊 We're also proud to share that Medical Director Dr. Cara Field was newly inducted as President-Elect of the IAAAM! Dr. Field follows in the footsteps of previous Center veterinarians that served as IAAAM Presidents in past years: Drs. Frances Gulland and Marty Haulena. Explore our innovative medical techniques and vital scientific research at https://bit.ly/3mYzb0D.

🗣️🗣️ We're hiring a Donor Services Associate! This is a unique opportunity to combine your database skills and passion for ocean conservation. If you are a tech-savvy, self-motivated people person with great attention to detail, this role could be a perfect fit. Learn more and apply at https://bit.ly/3VFfHQb. 📷 Bill Hunnewell

Our researchers first documented cancer in sea lions in 1978 and continue to study this voracious disease today. Their work has already led to a better understanding of how and why cancer is prevalent in California sea lions, and may help scientists better understand how cancer progresses in humans. Listen to this episode of our Sentinels of the Sea podcast for a deep dive into this critical work, and stay tuned for new podcast episodes coming soon 👀 Catch up on more episodes on our YouTube channel at https://bit.ly/45k3pA1.