What
is a pinniped?
PINNIPEDIA" is
the scientific grouping for all seals, sea lions
and walruses. It means, "feather or fin-footed." All
seals sea lions and walruses are referred to as
Pinnipeds. There are two types of Pinnipeds that
we care for at Pacific Marine Mammal Center: the "true
seals", belonging to the Family Phocidae and
the “eared seals”, belonging to the
Family Otariidae.
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There
are many differences between the two, most apparent
features are their ears. Phocids, or "seals," have
small ear holes while Otariids or “sea lions” have
small external ear flaps.
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Seals
have short foreflippers with claws. On land, they
galumph by using these flippers to drag themselves
along on their bellies, similar to the movements
of a caterpillar or worm. Sea lions have long foreflippers
they use to propel themselves through the water.
On land, they can maneuver much more easily than
seals because they are able to rotate their hindflippers
underneath their bodies and walk on all four flippers.
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What
should I do if I see a pinniped (seal or sea
lion) on the beach?
Pinnipeds divide their time between the ocean
and the beach, returning to shore to rest, mate,
give birth, and for some species molt their fur.
Seals and sea lions will come ashore, as well,
to stay warm and dry when feeling ill. Because
they seek rest on the beach for a variety of
reasons, not all seals and sea lions on the beach
require intervention. Below are steps to follow
if you DO see a seal or sea lion on the beach:
-
KEEP YOUR DISTANCE
Marine mammals are protected by Federal Law
and it is unlawful for unauthorized persons
to handle them. Do not touch or feed the
animal. Do not try to return the animal
to the water. If the animal is ill, it
has come on shore to be warm and dry. Feeding
a severely malnourished animal can actually
harm them!
-
KEEP OTHERS AWAY
To assure the safety of the public and the
animal, please keep others and their pets
away from the Pinniped. These are wild
animals and they do bite, allowing the
opportunity for disease transmittal.
-
MAKE NECESSARY OBSERVATIONS
From a minimum distance of 50 feet, observe
the animal's physical and behavioral characteristics
such as approximate length, weight, fur
color, and the presence or absence of external
ear flaps. This will help us determine
the rescue equipment and the number of
volunteers needed. Observe the overall
appearance of the animal. Is the animal
so thin that you can see its ribs and hip
bones? Are there visible wounds? Does the
animal have any identification tags or
markings?
-
DETERMINE THE EXACT LOCATION
For accurate directions, determine the exact
location of the stranded animal. We will
not be able to help the animal if we are
unable to find it.
-
LOCATE THE NEAREST PHONE
From the nearest phone, call Pacific Marine
Mammal Center immediately at 949.494.3050
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What
is a Cetacean?
What
is a Cetacean? "Cetacea" is
the scientific grouping for all whales, dolphins
and porpoises. All whales, dolphins and porpoises
are referred to as cetaceans.
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What
do I do if I see a cetacean (whale, dolphin
or porpoise) on the beach?
Stranded
cetaceans should be reported to us IMMEDIATELY
if found on the beach; then follow the same
instructions for pinnipeds.
DO NOT TOUCH THE ANIMAL.
-
KEEP YOUR DISTANCE
Marine mammals are protected by Federal Law
and it is unlawful for unauthorized persons
to handle them. Do not touch or feed the
animal. Do not try to return the animal
to the water. If the animal is ill, it
has come on shore to be warm and dry. Feeding
a severely malnourished animal can actually
harm them!
-
KEEP OTHERS AWAY
To assure the safety of the public and the
animal, please keep others and their pets
away from the Pinniped. These are wild
animals and they do bite, allowing the
opportunity for disease transmittal.
-
MAKE NECESSARY OBSERVATIONS
From a minimum distance of 50 feet, observe
the animal's physical and behavioral characteristics
such as approximate length, weight, fur
color, and the presence or absence of external
ear flaps. This will help us determine
the rescue equipment and the number of
volunteers needed. Observe the overall
appearance of the animal. Is the animal
so thin that you can see its ribs and hip
bones? Are there visible wounds? Does the
animal have any identification tags or
markings?
-
DETERMINE THE EXACT LOCATION
For accurate directions, determine the exact
location of the stranded animal. We will
not be able to help the animal if we are
unable to find it.
-
LOCATE THE NEAREST PHONE
From the nearest phone, call Pacific Marine
Mammal Center immediately at 949.494.3050
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Do
pinnipeds bite?
Yes! This is one
of the reasons you need to keep your distance
from them. These animals bite out of self-defense
rather than a desire to attack. At the Center,
we wear protective clothing when working with
the animals. We do not talk to the animals or
pet them. These are wild animals and will be
returned to their natural habitat. Animals that
are aggressive have a better chance of survival
in the wild.
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What
do the pinnipeds noises mean?
Vocalization
serves several purposes in seals and sea lions
just as in humans. Some animals, particularly
the young ones, vocalize to get attention when
they want food. Other vocalizations are signs
of aggression and warning to other animals. Large
male sea lions bark to advertise their dominance.
Some animals may vocalize when they are stressed.
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What
do pinnipeds eat?
Pinnipeds
are carnivorous; they eat a variety of food
including fish, squid, crabs and krill.
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Do
pinnipeds have any predators?
Yes, but
only a few - sharks, orcas and man.
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Do
the animals have to remain in water?
Pinnipeds are
semi-aquatic which means they spend part of their
lives out of water. Unlike Cetaceans which are
fully-aquatic. Elephant seals, for example,
spend several months on shore during the birthing,
breeding and molting season. At our Center, sick
animals spend a large portion of the day resting
and sleeping in dry areas.
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What
types of animals does Pacific Marine Mammal
Center care for?
The
most common Pinnipeds to Southern California
are Northern elephant seals, Pacific harbor seals,
and California sea lions.
Occasionally, we treat Northern fur seals.
PMMC is also the only temporary holding facility
for small whales and dolphins between Santa Barbara
and San Diego.
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How many species
of Pinnipeds are there?
There are 34 species of Pinnipeds found world wide.
- Family Otariidae (commonly
known as Sea Lion)
- New
Zealand Fur Seal or Southern
Fur Seal, A. forsteri
- Subantarctic
Fur Seal, A. tropicalis
- South
American Fur Seal, A. australis
- Northern
Fur Seal, C. ursinus
- Steller
Sea Lion, E. jubatus
- Australian
Sea Lion, N. cinerea
- South
American Sea Lion, O. flavescens
- New
Zealand Sea Lion or Hooker's
Sea Lion, P. hookeri
- California
Sea Lion, Z. californianus
- Japanese
Sea Lion, Z. japonicus – (extinct
around 1950)
- Galapagos
Sea Lion, Z. wollebaeki
- Family Phocidae (commonly
known as Seal)
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Where
do the animals come from?
PMMC is responsible
for animals stranded on beaches along the Orange
County coast. The range extends north to Seal
Beach and south to San Onofre. We are a member
of the Marine Mammal Stranding Network that services
animals along the entire coastline of the United
States.
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How
do you rescue the animals?
All of the animals
at PMMC were found stranded on the beaches,
docks, jetties or oil platforms along the coast
that we serve. When we are notified of a stranded
animal, we rescue it only if there is cause
to do so. While it is quite normal for a Pinniped
to come out onto land and rest, it is not normal
for them to do so in areas populated by humans,
nor is it normal for them to allow humans anywhere
near them.
When a call comes in to our center, it is important
that we receive as much accurate information
about the animal as possible to assess the size
of the team and equipment that will be necessary
for the rescue. Information such as the size,
species, and disposition of the animal, as well
as any immediately noticeable wounds and its
exact geographic location, allow us to assemble
the proper rescue team and equipment for the
rescue. Once the animal is secured in our rescue
truck, it is transported immediately to our facility
in Laguna Beach.
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What
equipment is used to rescue the animals?
The
standard rescue equipment consists of a cage,
herding boards, hoop nets, and blankets for
restraint. Our volunteers also have proper
attire to rescue these animals, such as slickers,
steel-toe boots and leather gloves.
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What
are the most common problems for stranded pinnipeds
in need of rescue?
The
majority of the Pinnipeds we rescue are severely
malnourished, suffer from dehydration and may
have respiratory infections. We also treat
animals that are affected by drift net entanglement,
fishing line / hooks, human inflicted injuries,
shark bites, parasites and various diseases.
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Do
you get animals with shark bites?
Occasionally, we
rescue animals that appear to have shark bites.
In a few cases, we have been able to positively
identify shark bites by the shape of the wound.
Sharks are a major predator of seals and sea
lions and most shark attacks probably result
in successful kills rather than mere injuries.
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How
are medications administered?
Medications are administered
in a variety of ways based on the health of
the animal. Some medication is given by injection,
which requires several people to be available
to restrain the animal. If the animal is eating,
medication is inserted into the fish along
with vitamins and salt tablets during feeding.
If the animal is receiving formula, pills are
ground up and added to the formula.
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Do
the pools at the Center contain salt water?
The pools at PMMC contain
fresh water. The animals do not require salt
water, with the exception of cetaceans. We
do give each animal salt tablets daily to make
up for any salt loss they may experience.
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Why
are some of the pens screened from viewing?
Screening
is used for adult California sea lions that
are more sensitive to being out of their natural
environment. Screening helps limit the impact
of human activity around those pens and serves
to reduce the animal's stress.
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How
long do the animals remain at the Center?
The length
of stay varies with each patient and depends
on the severity of their medical problems.
However, the average length of stay is three
months.
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How
often are the animals fed?
Animals are placed
on feeding schedules appropriate to the level
of nourishment needed. Malnourished pups are
generally tube fed formula every 3-4 hours
when they first arrive. Their formula consists
of fish, water, vitamins, electrolytes, powdered
milk for marine mammals and any necessary medications.
Animals healthy enough to eat on their own
are fed whole fish 3-4 times a day.
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Are
the pups bottle-fed?
Pups are
not bottle fed for many reasons. It takes pups
a long time to learn how to nurse from a bottle
and it is equally difficult to wean them from
the bottle and teach them to eat fish. Therefore,
pups are typically tube fed which is faster,
more efficient, and allows the pup to make
the transition to fish much more easily. Most
importantly, bottle-feeding requires a significant
amount of human interaction with the animal,
which we try to minimize in order to keep them
wild.
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Do
the animals like humans and do the volunteers
get attached to the Center's patients?
Even with
minimal interaction protocol, the animals in
our care come to associate our volunteers with
food at certain times each day. They respond
by coming closer to the pen gates or vocalizing
as we walk by. However, the animals remain
cautious to our presence and can be easily
frightened by sudden movements, loud noise,
and movements indicating possible restraint.
When feeling threatened, they will bite so
our volunteers wear protective clothing and
use equipment to reduce the risk of being harmed
by an animal's bite.
These animals are wild and our goal is to release
them back into the ocean. While we do get attached
to them, we make every effort to avoid domestication
of these wild animals. It is much to the animal's
advantage to avoid humans in their natural habitat.
Animals near boats, docks, and public beaches
have a higher risk of injury from entanglement,
fish hooks, as well as harassment. By preventing
the socialization of animals at the Center, we
hope to minimize the amount of human interactions
these animals will encounter after their release
back into the wild.
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Why
do you ask visitors not to talk to the animals?
For all of the same
reasons mentioned above, we request that visitors,
volunteers, and staff refrain from making regular
eye contact or talking to our patients while
they are in our care.
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What
is done with animals that die at the Center?
Despite tireless
efforts, the reality is that some animals are
unable to be saved no matter how much medical
attention we provide. For animals that die
at the Center, a necropsy (like an autopsy)
is performed to help determine the cause of
death and to provide insight into the illnesses
and diseases afflicting local marine mammal
populations.
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How
do you decide when an animal is ready for release?
The criteria
that determine when our patients are ready
to be released are sound medical condition,
the ability to dive independently and compete
for fish while maintaining a healthy body weight.
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How
does the Center follow up on released animals?
All released animals
are tagged on their flipper with an orange
numbered tag, registered at Pacific Marine
Mammal Center and the National Marine Fisheries
Service. Females are tagged on the right flipper
and males on the left. Sea lions are tagged
on their foreflipper, while elephant seals
and harbor seals are tagged on their hindflipper.
We frequently receive calls from beachgoers,
surfers, lifeguards and boaters who have sited
one of our animals and it is a gratifying experience
to hear that our patients are doing well in
their natural habitat.
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How
is the Center funded?
Pacific Marine
Mammal Center receives donations from individuals,
foundations and corporations, which are the
primary means through which we are able to
maintain our facilities and services. We are
not supported by the government other than
the land lease that we have in place through
the City of Laguna Beach. We raise money through
memberships, educational programs, special
events, and our gift shop.
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What
is your busiest season?
Our busiest
season is during the winter and early spring.
The winter / early spring period is the time
when pups are weaning from their mothers and
are more susceptible to natural medical issues
such as malnourishment and dehydration.
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How
can I get involved?
PMMC welcomes
volunteers, new members, animal sponsors, and
any other form of support of its facilities
and services. To learn more about opportunities
to get involved, call us at 949.494.3050 or
visit our web site at www.pacificmmc.org
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THANK
YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN OUR PATIENTS!
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