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Pacific Marine Mammal Center

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Pacific Marine Mammal Center

Pacific Marine Mammal Center inspires ocean stewardship through animal rescue, rehab, and release. Please use hashtag when posting pictures! Thank you!
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06/19/2026

Remember Heisler? 🌴 She is the young Pacific harbor seal pup that stranded on March 11th, near Rockpile in Laguna Beach! At first glance, our Rescue Team could see that she was malnourished and monitored her from a distance to see if mom was nearby. Then they noticed something else - a traumatic injury to her left eye, caused by a stingray barb.

🚑 After successful rescue, surgery to remove the barb, treatment to fight infection, ICU time, and many fish meals later, Heisler healed up remarkably well and gained crucial weight over several months. She was rescued at just 20.3 lbs and released at a healthy 58.9 lbs. We provided her with live fish tests, ensuring her foraging abilities were top notch 🐟

🌊 On June 4th, Heisler was privately released, where she took off to the waves without any hesitation and seemed very excited to see the ocean again - this time all healed up 🦭

Thank you to all PMMC Staff and Volunteers who helped provide a successful rehabilitation journey for her and all who help support our marine mammal patients 💙

06/15/2026

Happy Birthday to California Sea Lions (Zalophus californianus)! 🥳

Did you know that in the wild, over half of all California sea lion pups are born on June 15th? This is due to synchronized reproduction, where breeding, birth, and weaning happen on the same schedule each year. ✨

Pups are born throughout June and July and weigh 13 to 20 pounds at birth. They nurse for at least five to six months and sometimes over a year. Mothers recognize pups on crowded rookeries through smell and vocalizations. Pups also learn to recognize the smell and vocalizations of their mothers 💗

California sea lions separate their nursing and feeding activities 🍼 A mother sea lion nurses her pup for 1 to 2 days, then leaves the pup ashore while she travels to feeding areas at sea. She spends 2 to 5 days feeding, then returns to nurse. During the mother’s absence, the pup doesn’t eat but spends time learning important social skills with other fellow pups on the rookeries 🦭

🌊 Females continue a pattern of going to sea for several days and nursing ashore for several days until they wean their pups. This weaning process can last up to a year or more in some cases.

‼️ If you see a pup on the shore, please leave it be and keep your distance. If it looks to be in distress, call your local marine mammal stranding hotline! In Orange County, call us at 949-494-3050 ext. 9.

06/13/2026

Is it clocking to you that we have a new superstar patient? Meet Bieber! 🎤⭐️

🦭 She is a female California sea lion pup who stranded on Calafia State Beach in San Clemente on May 29th, 2026. She was located very close to the public on a busy beach day.

📸 We received photos and video of her which allowed our team to make the clinical assessment that she was in need of help due to her behavior and body condition. 🛟 After a successful rescue and assistance on the beach from California State Parks, she was quickly transported to our hospital.

🩺 She was weighed and examined by our team, where she was found to be malnourished at just 39.7 lbs. After a few weeks of eating fish and receiving care at Pacific Marine Mammal Center, she is already looking brighter and gaining weight with some fellow sea lion friends 🩵

Wish her the best of luck in rehabilitation and never say never!

06/10/2026

Pacific Marine Mammal Center was out and about this past weekend sharing our mission! We are so grateful to have joined at 2026 with booths & co-lead a tidepool tour for a marine mammal survey highlighting Dolphin Spotter! 🐬🐋

We also joined the Marine Safety Department’s Open House on the same day! 🛟 This free family fun event was a wonderful way to connect with our local lifeguard partners and spread ocean awareness by sharing our rescue & research efforts with the community! 🌊

Huge thank you to & for having us at these whaley awesome events celebrating 🩵

Join us next week at the San Diego Natural History Museum for a screening and Q&A discussion of the documentary, ‘Out of Plain Sight’ on Tuesday, June 16th from 7-9pm! Check out more of our upcoming events at the link in bio 🦭

06/08/2026

In honor of , we are sharing some of our recent research! 🌎🔬🌊

Did you know anti-inflammatory drugs have been found in liver samples of wild California sea lions in Southern California? PMMC’s VP of Conservation Medicine + Science, Dr. Alissa Deming, and Veterinary Intern, Dr. Sydney Zotto traveled to Montreal, Canada last month to present at the 2026 International Association of Aquatic Animal Medicine () 56th Annual Conference, about unique findings in our local sea lion population 🦭

Dr. Sydney Zotto presented her co-authored research abstract titled “Detection of Non-steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs in Wild California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus) Liver Samples from Southern California” to a group of over 300 fellow animal medicine professionals, where she detailed the context and nuances in the collaborative study. The study utilized liver samples collected during post-mortem necropsy from 27 wild California sea lions rescued between 2019 and 2021 in Orange County, California, which were then analyzed for environmental contaminant exposure and coastal pollution effects.

🏆 Dr. Zotto won an award for Best Presentation by an Intern, Fellow, or Resident at the conference, for her insightful work. Curious about what was found? Listen to the full presentation at the link or keep swiping for more info ➡️ https://youtu.be/6zKTkoLfY9k

Thank you to our collaborators from the Southern California Coastal Water Research Program, University of Illinois Zoological Pathology Program, and IAAAM for hosting us at this impactful annual conference!

06/03/2026

Looking for something to do in Orange County this weekend? Join us and many other amazing exhibitors along the Cobblestones of Laguna’s Main Beach at KELPFEST 2026!

This year’s event features live music and hands-on activities, kicking off with a beach clean up in the morning ☀️ Don’t miss this fun filled day of opportunities to learn, explore, and give back to the community with us!

A huge thank you to our friends for hosting and always looking out for our oceans 🌿🌊

The 2026 KelpFest poster design was created by Graphic Design + Digital Media student, David Maciel 👏

Go to the link in bio to RSVP for these events ⬇️

♻️ KelpFest Beach Cleanup:
8:45 am - 10 am, at Main Beach Lifeguard Tower

🪸 Tidepool Tour:
7:45 am - 9:15 am, at Main Beach Lifeguard Tower

🐬 Marine Mammal & Bird Spotting:
10:15 am - 11:45 am, at Main Beach Lifeguard Tower

💚 Algae Walking Tour:
11:50 am – 1:15 pm, meet at KelpFest LOF Booth

05/30/2026

The crowd goes wild… 👏📸🥹 Happy World Sea Lion Day 🦭

Photos by PMMC Volunteer:

05/29/2026

We have some sealiously big news… we currently have a squad of 4 Northern elephant seals in rehabilitation! Swipe to see their patient profiles ➡️

Say hello to Peeps, Quince, Shabby, and Tico! These very young seals were having a tough time on their own after weaning from mom, suffering from malnutrition, dehydration, and stranding on the beach out of life-threatening exhaustion. Our skilled team quickly rescued these little ones who are now gaining weight and looking much healthier! ❤️‍🩹

We’re happy to report that these big-eyed friends will continue to eat fish meals, gain healthy weight, and learn to competitively feed with each other while at PMMC until they are ready to go home. Want to help support patient care? Consider donating today 🦭

Address

20612 Laguna Canyon Road
Laguna Beach, CA
92651

Opening Hours

Friday	10am - 4pm
Saturday	10am - 4pm

Telephone

+19494943050

Website

http://www.pacificmmc.org/

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