Ocean Animal Response and Research Alliance - OARRA

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Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Ocean Animal Response and Research Alliance - OARRA, Nonprofit Organization, Los Angeles, CA.

A 501(c)(3) organization monitoring marine animal health through response & research programs.

➡Marine mammal & sea turtle mortality response in Los Angeles.
➡Live animal surveying in Southern California.
➡Research, education, & conservation everywhere.

10/14/2026

Soaking up some Dana Point sunshine ☀️ These pelicans have the right idea: find a good rock, kick back, and enjoy the view. 🌊

10/13/2026

We're headed to ! 🐋🌊

OARRA is packing up for the Society for Marine Mammalogy Biennial Conference, and we're bringing a lot with us:
📊 Our poster: Building Transparency from the Ground Up: Real-Time Data for Marine Mammal Response and Surveys. It covers how real-time data can make response work more open, faster, and more collaborative.

🤝 A co-authored poster on geographic Large Whale Response Plans, which help partners, stakeholders, and the public communicate when it matters most.

🛠️ A half-day workshop with our friends at Charity Matterz on planning for high-interest stranding events: managing public expectations, communications, and team resilience when the whole world is watching.

If you've ever thought "there has to be a better way to do this next time," come find us. 👋 Stay tuned. We'll share more from the conference floor!

10/11/2026

Spotted on our recent survey: a California brown pelican taking off from the rocks! Here are two things that make these divers so remarkable:

🫙 A built-in fishing net. A pelican's throat pouch (called a gular pouch) can hold up to 3 gallons of water. After scooping up fish, they tip their bill to drain the water out the sides, then swallow their catch.

💥 Built for the plunge. Brown pelicans dive headfirst into the ocean to catch fish. Their bodies are specially adapted for these high-impact dives, including air sacs beneath the skin and a diving posture that helps protect vulnerable structures in the neck.

Next time you see one dive, you'll know what's going on underneath those feathers! 👀

10/09/2026

Here's a little something to brighten your day: a dose of dolphins! 🐬☀️

Did you know old sailors had some colorful nicknames for these guys? 👇
🐷 Puffing pigs, for the sharp, sneezy "pfft!" they make when they exhale
🐟 Herring hogs, for the way they round up schools of fish for a feast
🐕 Sea hounds, because a pod moving together looks like a pack on the hunt
🍀 The sailor's friend, since spotting dolphins was considered good luck at sea

Which nickname is your favorite? Tell us in the comments!

10/06/2026

Who else spotted these locals? 👀 Our 9/15 survey off Dana Point turned up some great pinniped sightings. Surveys like this help us track marine mammal health along the SoCal coast, and they're made possible by supporters like you. Link in bio to get involved! 🦭💙

10/05/2026

Every sighting, every survey, every rescue, and every breakthrough begins with people who care.

Your support fuels marine mammal response efforts, wildlife health investigations, community science programs, and the training of future marine conservation leaders.

As one of the few organizations in the nation-and the only organization in Los Angeles County-focused exclusively on marine mammal mortality investigations and ocean health research, OARRA relies on community support to continue this critical work.

Every animal has a story to tell. Your support helps us uncover those stories and transform them into science that protects both ocean and human health.

💙 Help us respond to the next marine mammal stranding, train future ocean scientists, and uncover the stories our oceans are telling us.

Donate today
https://loom.ly/sHSl82k

09/25/2026

Sarah studied marine biology in college - but by graduation, she'd started to give up on it and was looking at forestry instead. Then last year's domoic acid event connected her to OARRA, and she signed up.

Since joining, she's learned to run a necropsy, tracked a superpod of dolphins from the boat, and found her way back to the career she almost let go of.

💚 Donate or volunteer at oarra.org

09/19/2026

Our OARRA team was out on the water in Dana Point for a live animal survey! We spotted a variety of coastal birds, including California brown pelicans, along with several pinnipeds enjoying the waters and haul-out areas.
Another great day of documenting the wildlife that calls our coastline home. 💙

09/16/2026

Meet Tongva 🐢This female green sea turtle was brought to us from Catalina Island.

At 45kg and a curved carapace length of 68cm (the two pieces of data we can use to determine an age range) she was most likely between 20-35 years of age making her a subadult in her life stage.

Subadult green sea turtles leave the open ocean, moving into shallow, coastal areas, lagoons, bays, and reefs where food and shelter are abundant. Their diets transition from being omnivores to herbivores feeding primarily on sea grasses and red and green algae. (And this well fed individual had very clean and clear evidence of this, and was probably feeding shortly before her death, showing no signs of illness).

For Tongva and many green sea turtles, Catalina Island is a prime provider for these necessities. Unfortunately, coastal areas such as Catalina are high in vessel traffic, making Tongva the 11th green sea turtle mortality our team has dealt with this year alone, all showing signs of human interaction (HI), the highest in our 6 years. The cuts on her shell highly suggest propeller wounds consistent with vessel strikes.

As vessel strikes are at an all time high this year, Tongva’s death is another reminder that staying alert and slowing down may save a life. At OARRA, we take every loss as a chance to increase research and strengthen protection for those that still have a life.

09/16/2026

✨Meet our wonderful volunteer Lisa! ✨After moving to California, she discovered a passion for marine science through whale watching and eventually enrolled at Orange Coast College to study Marine Science and Applied Ocean Science & Technology.

She first heard about OARRA through classmates and instructors and jumped right into hands-on fieldwork, from remote beach surveys to participating in necropsies.

"Honestly, for me every moment in the field is a joy." 🐋

Her advice for anyone interested in getting involved? “Jump right in. The best way to learn something new is to do it.”
We're grateful to have Lisa as part of the OARRA team! 💙

Address

Los Angeles, CA

Website

http://OARRA.org/

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