During March and April, Pacific harbor seal pupsare born in rookeries along the California coast.After about four weeks, the pups are weanedfrom their mothers. This time period is critical forthe development of their immune systems—without it, they may not survive.

The “Leave Seals Be” public education campaignis designed to reduce human interactions withharbor seal pups by asking the public to leave ill,injured or abandoned seal pups alone. Instead,beachgoers should call The Marine Mammal Cen-ter’s 24-hour response hotline at 415.289.SEAL(7325) to report the location and appearance ofthe seal. The Center can dispatch trained staffand volunteers to monitor the animal until themother returns or it becomes necessary to bringthe animal to the hospital.

Researchers at The Marine Mammal Center arestudying infectious causes of reproductive failurein harbor seals. While it is sad to see a dead pupon a beach, the knowledge gained from studyingthem is valuable. Please also report dead sealpups to The Center at 415.289.SEAL.

Stay tuned for more information on the harborseal health program in the next issue.

Spread the Word! Remind the world that seal pups need our helpby sporting a fun, stylish “Leave Seals Be” shirt,available at our retail stores and website.Shirt Design: Doug Ross

Send an e-Postcard!Cute e-postcards have three designs to choosefrom and space for your own special message.See our website for details.

releaseNonprofitOrganizationU.S. PostageP A I DGMS

The Marine Mammal CenterMarin Headlands1065 Fort CronkhiteSausalito, CA 94965-2697415.289.SEALwww.marinemammalcenter.org

Vol. 27 No. 1 | Spring 2007 | The Newsletter of The Marine Mammal Center

‘Leave Seals Be’ and Call 415.289.SEAL

Harbor seal pup left alone on the beach by its foragingmother. Photo: The Marine Mammal Center

Release is a publication of The Marine Mammal Center.

Communications ManagerJim Oswald

EditorJim Oswald

PhotographersMarie DeStefanisKarla FernandezDeborah GabrisStan JensenNational Park Service Inventory

and Monitoring ProgramNOAA Pacific Island Fisheries

Science CenterC. Whittier

ContributorsSue AndrewsErin BrodieLauren De MaioJacquie HiltermanJessica HsuHarriet LehmanMecca NelsonTenaya NorrisFelicia NutterJim OswaldShelbi Stoudt

DesignAshton Abeck

©2007 by The Marine Mammal Center

Printed on 70% recycled,30% post-consumer paper

Felicia NutterA. The Marine Mammal Center is excited to have Dr. Felicia Nutter, DVM, PhD on board as the new staff veterinarian. For the past fouryears, Dr. Nutter and her husband Chris, who is also a wildlife veterinarian, were based inRuhengeri, Rwanda with the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project.

Dr. Nutter is no newcomer to The Center; in 1997,she spent about six weeks as part of the Zoo and Wildlife Medicine residency at N.C. State University. She says her positive experience,coupled with her passion for marine mammals,was the impetus for her return.

Above: Dr. Felicia Nutter in Rwanda approaching a gorilla. Photo: C. Whittier

Construction UpdatesB. December 2006 The concrete foundation for the new education building was poured by contractors. Workers smoothed the concrete afterthe pour had been completed. Photo: The MarineMammal Center

C. January 2007 The education building’s structure was started. A crane positioned a structural beam of the building. Photo: TheMarine Mammal Center

Point Reyes Elephant SealD. December 2004 Staff and volunteers fromThe Marine Mammal Center removed a yellowpacking strap constricting an elephant seal found by researchers at Point Reyes NationalSeashore. Photo: Stan Jensen

E. January 2007 The same elephant seal was spotted at Gus Cove, Point Reyes, healthy and with a pup. Photo: National Park ServiceInventory and Monitoring Program

2006 Animal of the Year F. Kellan swimming in a pool while recuperatingfrom eye surgery. His right eye was removed due to infection. Photo: Karla Fernandez

G. Kellan is released with a yellow hat-tag needed for post-release monitoring.Photo: Deborah Gabris

What to do if you spot a seal pup alone on a beach:

1. Stay back at least 50 feet

2. Keep people and dogs

away, but take note of its size,

condition, color and location

3. Call 415.289.SEAL (7325)

and report the seal and

its location to The Marine

Mammal Center

The Center’s News

A D

B C

F

E G

Deb Wickham, animal husbandry managerat The Marine Mammal Center, could notbelieve there were 22 northern fur seals onsite at once. It was mid-December andnormally a quiet time at the hospital. Yet,the bleating sounds of young fur sealswere deafening as they emanated fromthe back pens and pools. One pup stood out from the rest of the pack by chirpinglike a bird. In one pen, a circus of small furseals was swimming back and forth in the pool. In another, a group was lounging on afloating pad, while across the pen anothergroup was perched on the edge of thepool as if it were a tight-rope. The animalshad taken up residency in three pens with the largest measuring 30’-by-30’ andoutfitted with a 2,000 gallon pool.

El Niño–Food Chain CollapseIt’s been nearly ten years since The Centerhas seen this many fur seal rescues. In1997, rescues coincided with the beginningof an El Niño. An El Niño is a temporarywarming of ocean waters that begins in the tropics and spreads to the Pacific,according to Bob DeLong, a research biol-ogist with the National Marine FisheriesService. “El Niños have been around since the dawn of man,” said DeLong.

In an El Niño year, food sources such as anchovies and squid move to deeper,cooler water. This means that the coastal ocean becomes less productiveand ultimately, the food chain begins to collapse, like the scenario in 1997.

DeLong is hesitant to attribute the recentstrandings of these northern fur seals to El Niño. He says there is evidence of anabundance of food sources and althoughthe fur seal pups weaned at low weights,adult females looked good and were of a healthy weight. The million-dollar question is “if there is plenty of food, whydid the young pups not find it?”

On the Road to RecoveryVeterinarians at The Center may neverknow what caused the fur seals to becomemalnourished and strand this past year.They examined each of the patients to seeif there might be other medical reasons,such as disease causing them to be underweight.

releaseThe Newsletter of The Marine Mammal Center Spring 2007 Vol. 27 No. 1

It started in early November—first one northern fur seal, then another, began stranding on beachesalong the central California coast. It’s not unusual for The Marine Mammal Center to rescue a fur seal or two each year, but by the time the new year began, staff and volunteers had rescued 34 malnourished seal pups—surpassing a record set at the hospital in 1997 when 33 seals were rescued. So, why did so many seals strand in 2006? Could it be another El Niño year like in 1997?

MARK YOUR CALENDARS To learn more about these events, go to www.marinemammalcenter.org and click on the Events button.

3/17-3/18

Mendocino Whale Festival at thePoint Cabrillo Lighthouse. Learnmore at www.pointcabrillo.org

3/17, 4/5, 5/8, 6/17

New Volunteer Orientation at building 1071 in the Marin Headlands

4/15

Run for the Seals, 4-mile foot racein the Marin Headlands. Registerby April 2 at runfortheseals.org

4/21, 5/19, 6/16

New Volunteer Orientation atthe Sausalito Bay Model

4/21 & 4/22

Earth Day Fair – West Contra Costa(4/21) San Francisco Zoo Get“Caught Green-Handed” (4/22)

4/21 & 4/22

Overnight research course aboardthe White Holly. Learn more atwww.whiteholly.org

6/7

SLO New Volunteer Orientation,Morro Bay Operations

6/9

MBO New Volunteer Orientation,Monterey Bay Operations

6/18–8/24

Coastal Camp at Headlands Institute. Register atwww.yni.org/hi/summer

7/28

5th Annual Marine Mammal Day at AT&T Park

Northern Fur Seals Mystery

The Marine Mammal Center is a nonprofit veterinaryhospital, research and educational center. Since 1975,staff and volunteers have rescued thousands of injured,sick and orphaned marine mammals along 600 milesof northern and central California coastline.

continued on page 2

Left: Fur seals on a floating pad in their pool. Middle: Fur seal, Jarrko. Photos: The Marine Mammal Center Right: Fur seal walking on the edge of a pool. Photo: Karla Fernandez

El Niño Facts:

1. Trade winds normally blow eastto west, piling warm, surface water inthe Pacific. Upwelling of nutrient-richcolder water occurs.

2. In an El Niño, the opposite occursand the cold, nutrient-rich water isblocked by the warmer layer of surfacewater, eliminating many food sources.

3. Depressed thermocline*

means marine mammals and birds areon a low nutritional plain that causessurvival issues.

* Refers to the depth in the ocean where temperature decreases rapidly

None were found. So for now, veterinariansand volunteers will continue to care and feed the young pups until they reacha healthy release weight.

“We are collaborating with Long MarineLab in Santa Cruz to help these animalsget ready to be released back to the wild,”said Wickham. In late January, The Centertransferred six fur seals to the Santa Cruz-based facility so researchers therecould measure each seal’s resting meta-bolic rate and perform other testsdesigned to observe reactions to watertemperature shifts. This research will notonly provide basic physiological informa-tion about northern fur seals (restingmetabolism, thermal capabilities), but itwill also enable an assessmentof body condition and health prior to thepups’ release. At the time of this printing,all of the fur seals were scheduled to bereleased in March or April.

2 Spring 2007 www.marinemammalcenter.org

Winter with the Hawaiian Monk Seals continued from front cover Northern Fur Seals Mystery

The twins in their beach pen, which they now share with newcomer PO48. Photo: Bob Braun, NOAA PacificIsland Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) NOAA Permit 9321489.

Our sincere thanks go to these generous donors whose contributions of $500 or more support The Center’s work to assist distressed marinemammals, research marine mammal health, and share our knowledge with the general public and the international scientific community.This list recognizes gifts received May 1, 2006 to December 31, 2006 in support of The Center’s annual operating fund.

$50,000 and aboveShirley SichelElizabeth and Rico Wiskemann

$20,000–$49,999Arthur and Elena CourtMary Bachman and William DowningMr. & Mrs. Glenn A. HaldanBetty and William HaslerMr. and Mrs. Arthur C. Latno, Jr.Merrill and Cinnie MagowanCarole Strauss

$10,000–$19,999Anonymous (2) Kathryn ArnoldKristine AsheBokara LegendreMargaret A. MawSandor & Faye Straus—Firedoll Foundation

$5,000–$9,999Anonymous (1) Vernon and Mary Lee AltmanDennis and Molly CollinsDennis DeDomenico and Sandra BrodSusan GrauMr. & Mrs. William Hamm IIIBeth Inadomi and Tim NewellArthur H. KernMichael KleemanCatherine KruttschnittNancy and Mark MaymarAllison and Mark McKeePeter ReadMichael RossGina Sanfilippo and Frederick RoeberPeter and Paula TurnerGregory and Nancy Wilson

$1,000–$4,999Scott AhrendtTom and Julie AtwoodJ. Bradford BarnesCamilla and David BashamAnne Bertaud-Peuto and Bernard L. PeutoKatherine H. BlackLynne and George BrownBerwick and Jo Ann BryantKeith BuckinghamPeggy BurksJames and Susan BurnsJudy Casper and Jim HillHelen CharpentierJanis and Edward CherryCecilia Claudio and Lars RabbeScott and Shirley ClaytonRebecca and John ColliganDavid and Rebecca ConantMartin F.N. CooperMr. & Mrs. William J. DawsonMartha DayBruce and Lynn DaytonLois DeDomenicoSusan and Wendell DinwiddieAnn DommBill DoyleDiane and Jim DuceySherrill DunningDr. and Mrs. Anthony EasonDavid EdelsohnCarole and Daniel EitingonLois EnslowMelissa FairgrieveAnn and George FisherMitch FongJessica and John Fullerton

Lisa and William GalaMarilyn and Bob GaribaldiAnn GessertVal and Jerry GibbonsMary and Clinton GillilandLeslie GoldbergFlorence and Steven GoldbyLisa and Douglas GoldmanSusan GrayPatricia GreenhoodB. J. GriffinPamella and Stephen GronemeyerSophie and Robert GuarasciWilliam GullandBernice HansenPhyllis HansonLisa HeinzCraig HeylThe Edward E. Hills Fund and Ingrid HillsCraig Hoefer and Susan ParkerPeter HricakChristine and Gary HromadkoMichele and Bill HunnewellChris and Bob HunterJames and Thomaseen JensenStan JensenKaren Johnson-McKewan and Tom McKewanDerry and Charlene KabcenellRaymond KaliskiLowell KasdenKevin and Janey KasterBonnie KayKate KellyMurray and Jeanie KilgourWilliam and Gretchen Kimball FundSuzanne and Gerald KnechtCarla and James LavertyCathy and Ted LehmannAnne Leung-Stevens and Larry StevensLawrence LevyMarie and Barry LipmanThomas C. LitwilerDavid and Diane LoganAber Lynch and Jim BeckerRichard D. MacDonald and

Catherine Wollenberg-MacDonaldRenee MacKenzieFillmore and Barbara MarksMichael and Sharon MarronMatthew and Nancy NoelRichard Norton and Adrienne M. NortonOlivia OrrJoanne Overleese, M.D.Arlene PeacockJanet and Norman PeaseJohn A. PerezAndrea and Pat PhelpsW. R. PhillipsJoan PlattEleanore PlessasMaja and Craig RamseyVictoria and Sam ReedPhil and Katherine ReillyJune RichardTheodore Ridgway and Ellena OchoaAlice K. RobinsonMarilyn and George RoseLisa SchloegelCynthia SchrammEdwin A. Seipp, Jr.Mr. and Mrs. H. Boyd SeymourDr. William ShapiroJewel and Richard SidemanBen SparksBeverly Spector and Kenneth LipsonPeter and Janecke StaufferHenry Stauffer

Frances StevensonAkiko TakahashiTeru TaketaJ. Holley TaylorMargaretta TaylorJennifer Taylor and Paul WhiteRaymond ThibodeauSarah TiedemannMr. and Mrs. Peter TretheweyTom and Pauline TusherKathryn and Robert VizasRichard and Liz WardBettina WarnerWilliam and Denise WatkinsCarollee and William WebberMichael and Robin WillardDiane B. WilseyRobert WilsonAlan and Arlene YoungAnthony P. Zinge

$500–$999Anonymous (4)Lawrence AdamsDouglas AdamsCarolyn AdamsPenelope AlxitchWarren AndersonBrien AndersonIan AndrewsMike AnthenienPeter and Patricia ArrigoniJerome AshfordLucille M. AugustSharon Lea AukermanJennifer and David BaileyJeannette BaumgardnerRichard and Nancy BeanBrittany D. BergetMaria BerryStacy Bezyack and Dana BialashewskiMichael BingerLucy BledsoeRobert and Marilyn BorgMary BoyceEd Chejlava and Tracy HarcourtEvelyn and James ChumbleyThomas and Linda CiottiKathleen Correia and Stephen EvansKeith CoyneSteven Cummings and Ingrid WoodsMark Cunningham and Judith KleinHelen CupperChristina DavignonSue DekalbSharon and Kirch DeMartiniPaul and Elizabeth DenisonMike and Connie DowlerDrexler Estate Fund - Kenneth DrexlerLydia EdlsonElizabeth and Paul EisenhardtMark EisnerTawna and John FarmerRosemary Fei and Gary HarringtonRichard Flaster and Alice MeadJames FrickRobert and Michelle FriendHelga FullerMyles GoldfeinMyron and Doris GoodwinMr. and Mrs. Peter G. GordonMichele and Richard GossBarrie GrossBeverly GrossSteve and Gina HarrisJulie HosfeldtE. Vickie Hughes

William E. HunterMichael InaSarah IppolitoWilliam JacowayLee and Winifred JebianAnna JeffreyRobert and Robin JohansenLinda and William Kane, Jr.Mark and Anita KarierChristopher L. Kaufman and Carlyn ClementJulie KelseyLenore KirvayDr. Juliet Lamont and Dr. Phil PriceBill and Jean LaneAmy LangeSally Lappen and Nik WarrenCarmen M. LasarPhilip and Elizabeth LathrapCynthia LeeHollis LenderkingPaul and Karen LindstromCeil LongJon and Gale LoveDiane M. LudersBrian MacDonaldSharon Mc CulloughThe Purple Lady/Barbara J. Meislin Fund

of the Marin Community FoundationRobert and Yukiko NakanoLaura NardozzaMarina Nichols and Jesse FieldingMr. and Mrs. James NisbetManissa PedrozaLorraine PehoushekGeorge PerskyIan ReeveMillie and Joseph Rogers, Jr.Carla RothChristina ScarlottNathaniel and Marcia SchmelzerKathleen SchneiderJudith SchultzMichael and Susan SchwartzKirsten ShawPeter Siggins and Veronique Laband SigginsJohn and Karen SilveyJohn SoltisMr. and Mrs. Bruce SpauldingMargaret StoneJean S. ThomasDavid and Ruth ThompsonMr. & Mrs. Sloan UptonRichard and Kate VanceMartin Vanderlaan and Patricia PostKristi and Clifford VaughanDee VogelAnne-Marie and David WalkerAngeli Wang and John GreenLori and Michael WeigantElaine J. WeihmanKaren and Ken WestPeter Wilson and Linda Rodgers

Foundations and Corporations$50,000+Irma Penniman Kahn Conservation Education Fdn.DMARLOU FoundationWallace Genetic Foundation, Inc.

$10,000–$49,999Bear Stearns & Co. Inc.Morris Animal FoundationMarin Community FoundationMcBean Family FoundationThe Overbrook FoundationHarden FoundationHubbs-Sea World Research Institute

Marisla FoundationThe Bernard Osher FoundationThe Sato FoundationThe Teddy FoundationY & H Soda Foundation

$5,000–$9,999Bernstein Global Wealth ManagementThe Sidney S. Byers Charitable TrustCalifornia Coastal CommissionGonsalves & Stronck Construction Co., INCHodge, Neiderer, Cariani LLCOrrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLPPacific Service Credit UnionSurefire MarketingUnion Bank of California Wells FargoWestone Laboratories, Inc.

$1,000–$4,999Bank of America Bank of MarinCleveland Metroparks ZooThe Compton FoundationThe Samuel E. and Hilda S. Duff TrustWalter & Elise Haas FundThe Jones-Smith FoundationKochis FitzMcCormick & Kuleto’sNoll & Tam Architects/Scott Dennis, ArchitectPIER 39 Limited PartnershipThe Don and Nancy Powell FoundationCharles See FoundationTOSA Foundation

$500–$999The Winifred & Harry B. Allen FoundationApplera CorporationThe Barnston-Koutsafis FoundationChevronFirst Republic BankThe William H. & Mattie Wattis

Harris FoundationLucasfilm, Ltd.Machiah FoundationThe Verla K. Regnery FoundationSeaDreams Productions

Workplace Giving and MatchingGift OrganizationsAT&T FoundationCitigroup FoundationDonate for Charity, Inc.Gap Inc. Giving CampaignGenentech Employee Giving ProgramGlobal Impact–Applied MaterialsGlobal Impact–Hewlett PackardGoogleIBM Matching Grants ProgramIndependent Charities of AmericaLocal Independent Charities of AmericaMerrill Lynch & Co FoundationMicrosoft Giving Campaign ProgramPG&E Campaign for the CommunitySun Microsystems FoundationWashington Mutual, Inc.Wells Fargo Community Support Campaign

BequestsCarmen ArreolaOlga BenyoDiana L. BradyLorraine CantorDiane EvansAdelaide S. KirkbrideMildred LillisJoseph Stanley Pikul

Elisabeth SonntagDonald P. WartoThe Bals Family TrustLawrence G. BeckerContance E. ChristensenLucila ClavijoRobert and Alice DeLeonEllen A. DukesJanet H. JacotMichael W. Lee Norma MathewsEvelyn L. White

In Honor OfMary Bachman and Bill DowningGrace BardwickMarina and Jesse FieldingSandy FlichterTisha Brady and Conor MulroneyShalia YoderJazLyn Yoder

MemorialsGary AllumsLawrence G. BeckerBenjamin BinkleyDorothy CousinsStanley DiamondJo DonovanFritz GrauWilliam Christopher HesleyJody Terry KazlowskisAdelaide S. KirkbrideDan McGrathKen West

In-KindAlbertson’sArthur Court DesignsDale AnaniaBeach Blanket BabylonCambria Bicycle EmporiumChannel Islands National ParkMurray DaileyDrakes Bay FundraisingNancy Fox and Associates, LLCJessica FullertonJason GoldheimJoe Gallo and Gallo WinesStuart HamlynHarrah’s EntertainmentHawkes Ocean TechnologiesKing AirLinblad ExpeditionsMerrill MagowanMarin French Cheese CompanyLucinda MorlinNational Marine Fisheries ServicePersonal Telephone Answering ServicesLaure ReichekPhil ReillySan Francisco Giants Kathy SavastanoSam SilvermanSpinnaker RestaurantPeter StaufferTown Hall RestaurantCarrie TrahanUS1 Travel.comWestin St. Francis HotelAlan R. Young

Special Thanks

PO22 and PO26, the rare Hawaiian monkseal twins, are no longer the only two benefiting from the captive care initiativeat Cargo Beach in Midway Atoll. Since theirOctober 2006 return to Midway, the twogregarious seals have been joined by newpen mate PO48.

Upon introduction, the twins immediatelyinteracted with PO48 and are seen playingin the water together daily. At night, theyhave been frequently observed sleeping

together in a pile. All three continue to put on the necessary weight to increasetheir chance of surviving into their reproductive years.

In a neighboring beach pen, there arethree other juvenile female seals, PO40,PO42 and PO46. All six weaners, born in2006, are being monitored regularly andfed Atlantic herring three times a day as part of the winter monk seal program.

The objectives during the winter seasonare to provide nutritional supplements,mostly fish, to help the animals gainweight and to monitor the wild monk sealpopulation in Midway Atoll.

“Our winter monitoring is importantbecause historically there is very little datacollected over the winter and this is thetime, between the summer field camps,when many juveniles disappear,” saysTenaya Norris, Captive Care Coordinatorfrom The Marine Mammal Center. “Ourobservations will hopefully shed somelight on what may be contributing tothese disappearances.”

The winter “pilot program” on MidwayAtoll is a collaboration between theNational Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)and The Marine Mammal Center—bothare providing experienced personnel and the majority of the funding. Importantsupporting agencies include Fish andWildlife Service and Seaworld.

The six animals currently in captive care are slated for release in late March.

Fur seals filing out of a pool. Photo: Marie DeStefanis

Sue Andrews started as a volunteer in 1993

and then became the Field Manager at

The Monterey Bay Operations Rescue and

Triage Center. She says she is amazed by

the people working at The Center because

they all have big hearts and a desire to

be a part of the solution for the animals

and the ocean. | Sue is the Field Manager at The Center’s Monterey Bay Operations.

Erin Brodie started at The Center in 1997

as an education outreach instructor before

becoming part of the stranding team.

She says she loves the challenge that comes

with coordinating animal responses.

Erin says every situation is different and

no two days are the same. Her involvement

with The Center makes her feel that in

some way she is positively affecting the

world. | Erin is a Stranding Coordinator atThe Center.

Lauren De Maio admires the dedication

The Marine Mammal Center has towards

the health of marine mammals and

the knowledge gained through scientific

research. She loves her position and

says, it is a pleasure to work with such a

great staff and dedicated volunteers

because they give so much of their time

and efforts to The Center. | Lauren is a Stranding Coordinator at The Center.

Shelbi Stoudt started volunteering in 1993

and then joined the staff in 1998. She

says The Center gives her the personal

satisfaction that she is making a difference

and effecting change. She also notes,

“Where else could I strap on a helmet and

crawl around like a sea lion!” (referring to

training courses she teaches to volunteers

on the art of using herding boards to

rescue seals and sea lions.) | Shelbi is theStranding Manager at The Center.

People at The Center

Spring 2007 3

Seal Volunteers Needed!Our busiest animal rescue season is in full

swing and we have many seal pups in need

of TLC. Join a fun and committed group

of individuals who make a difference in the

lives of marine mammals every day.

In addition to animal care, there are many

other opportunities to get involved, including

the rescue and release of animals, youth

education, administration, retail and more.

Learn more about these opportunities on

our website or contact Kathleen Hannah,

volunteer coordinator at hannahk@tmmc.org.

A listing of volunteer orientation dates is onthe front page of this newsletter.

Rainy first four months — The Center’s construction project continues as perimeter road is built, pipes laid and work on foundations begins.

Traveled to San Miguel Island —Researchers collect samples to investigatecauses of reproductive failure in Californiasea lions.

The Center lends a helping hand —Staff and volunteers care for extremelyrare, twin, Hawaiian monk seal pups.

Pool at the Zoo — The San Francisco Zoolends a helping hand (actually a big pool)to elephant seal pups, freeing up muchneeded pen space at The Center.

New Marine Mammal Visitor Center opensat Rodeo Beach.

Fur Seals Strand — The Center rescues andcares for a record number of fur seal pups(see cover story.)

Phoca Rescate (Seal Rescue) — The Centertravels to Puerto Rico to train andstrengthen local stranding network.

Run for the Seals— April 15The Center’s famous 4-mile fun run/walk

is back! This year’s Run for the Seals takes

place on Sunday, April 15 at Rodeo Beach.

Named as one of the Bay Area’s best short

runs, the course begins at Rodeo Beach

and winds through the beautiful Marin

Headlands. Runners, walkers, baby joggers

and dogs on leashes are welcome.

Proceeds benefit The Marine Mammal

Center. Don’t miss the fun—you may

even see SF Giants’ mascot Lou Seal at the

finish! Online registration is available

at www.runfortheseals.org through April 2.

Looking back at2006

Species Number Percent

Northern elephant seals 103 18.4%

Pacific harbor seals 61 10.9%

California sea lions 326 58.2%

Steller sea lions 4 .7%

Guadalupe fur seals 4 .7%

Northern fur seals 34 6.1%

Sea turtles 0 0%

Southern sea otters 19 3.4%

Cetaceans–various species 9 1.6%

Total 560 100%

* percentages are approximate due to rounding procedures.

2006 Number of animals admitted

Volunteers cleaning harbor seal Wee One’sumbilicus. Photo: The Marine Mammal Center

Runners just starting the 4-mile course in the Marin Headlands in 2005. Photo: The Marine Mammal Center

Miniature veterinary kit.Image: Build-A-Bear Workshop®

Left: (from left to right) Lauren De Maio, Erin Brodie, and Shelbi Stoudt of the Sausalito operations.Photo: The Marine Mammal Center, Right: Sue Andrews of the Monterey Bay Operations Rescue and Triage Center. Photo: Stan Jensen

If you see an ill seal on a beach this pupping season and call ourresponse hotline at (415) 289-SEAL— chances are you will speakwith one of these people. They respond to calls about marine mammals in need of help, 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

The Protected Resources Circle (PRC) is

The Marine Mammal Center’s circle

of donors whose annual leadership

contributions of $500 or more support

The Center’s core work of rescue,

rehabilitation and release of marine

mammals. Donors who contribute

at least $500 to The Center’s capital

campaign are also included in the

PRC in 2007.

Benefits and privileges of PRC member-

ship include invitations to private releases

of rehabilitated animals back to their

ocean homes, private tours of The Center,

an invitation to The Center’s annual gala

and listing in The Center’s Annual Report

and in this newsletter.

Four private release events for PRC mem-

bers will take place between June and

August this year. We invite you to contact

the Development Office at 415.289.7335

to become a PRC member in time to

receive your invitation to attend a private

release event this summer!

The Protected Resources Circle

One of the northern fur seal patients at The Center.Photo: The Marine Mammal Center

Say Thank You OceanDid you know that only five percent of

the ocean has been explored and that the

deepest part of it is roughly seven miles

deep—much deeper than Mt. Everest is

tall? The ocean also provides food, water,

commerce and even recreation. You

can learn more about the ocean and its

affects on our daily lives by visiting

www.thankyouocean.org. This new web

resource includes ocean and marine life

facts and activities designed to teach,

educate and inspire ocean stewardship.

Build-A-Bear — Help a Seal!Build-A-Bear Workshop® and The Marine

Mammal Center, along with the San

Francisco Giants™, have teamed up for

a special offer that will help marine

mammals. Starting this spring at Make

Your Own Lou Seal™ by Build-A-Bear

Workshop at AT&T Park™, when you

purchase a plush miniature veterinary kit,

Build-A-Bear Workshop will donate $1 to

The Marine Mammal Center. This one-of-

a-kind accessory will be sold exclusively at

Make Your Own Lou Seal™ at the ballpark,

so snag them while they last and help

a seal or sea lion at the same time!