Have you ever thought what it would be like to be a sea creature living in the ocean? The thought is daunting to me, because I think oceans are the scariest places on Earth. I’m probably not the only one afraid of the mysterious creatures that lurk in the deep, and the dangers that lie in wait under the surface. But there is another thing to be afraid of that I haven’t given much thought; the oceans are polluted with trash, oil, and all sorts of lethal refuse, especially dangerous to the animals that live there. As you’ve probably heard, pollution in oceans is a serious problem, because it is throwing off all the balance in the life cycle of the sea creatures. Thankfully, there are people trying to help out our aquatic friends.  

One of the members taking care of a patient:

The Marine Mammal Center is helping to advance global ocean conservation through marine mammal rescue, rehabilitation, and release, scientific research of all their patients, and using their research to educate the youth. Since 1975, they’ve rescued more than 21,000 marine mammals, providing humane medical care with the hope of releasing them back into the wild. They’ve rescued a variety of animals, including seals, sea lions, sea otters, dolphins, and more. The most common reasons that these animals fall into their care are malnutrition because of the ever-shifting ocean food chain, separation from mom during weaning, illness and skin disease, entanglements in ocean trash, gunshots, boat strikes, and shark bites. Sounds like being a sea creature is no easy task.  

Releasing their patients back into the wild:

This organization is making a number of movements that I can only go into briefly. Education is one line of work they invest in, providing tours of the center, special classroom programs, and even after school programs. They also believe that science is an important part of helping future ocean wildlife, so they conduct research projects, and study every animal that comes in their care. And last but not least, they provide top-notch care for their animal patients. One project in particular that they have been working on is Ke Kai Ola: The Hawaiian Monk Seal Hospital. The goal of this project was to help save this endangered species of seal through science-based research, a network of volunteers, and coordinated community efforts and partnerships. So far, their efforts to help this species have been successful.  

Kids receiving a tour of the Marine Mammal Center:

They have had many success stories of helping creatures to heal and return to their ocean home, but I will just share one of them in this post. Multiple people had reported seeing a sea lion who had a fishing metal trap and other debris caught around his snout, and that he appeared to be in pain and couldn’t open his mouth. There were multiple attempts to rescue him made by the Center’s Special Rescue Operations team, but he proved to be “too elusive for his own good”. Finally, on June 26, they rescued him from a buoy, giving him a mild sedative, and then transferring him back to the Center. Next came the delicate and daunting task of removing the trash from his snout. By the time he had reached the center, he was bleeding a lot, and the fishing gear had dug into his skin. They humanely gave him an anesthetic before removing the trash from his nose. Sadly, the debris had been pulling on his snout for so long that it was now disfigured. This unique looked gave him the name Snouty (so original).  

Snouty’s disfigured snout:

After his traumatic experience, the Center nursed him back to health. He showed an aggressive attitude most of the time, showing that he had a strong will to survive. On July 24, he was released back into the ocean, still carrying his disfigured snout that displayed his strength. Later that year in September, Naturalist Barton Selby sent them a picture of Snouty lounging with his fellow sea lions. The Marine Mammal Center gave him the chance to continue his life in the wild, and even though he doesn’t comprehend this, seeing him happy in his home shows them his silent gratitude.  

Snouty is happy to be back home:

I hope you enjoyed this week’s post! If you’re interested in learning more about the work they do, visit http://www.marinemammalcenter.org/. And if you would like to make a difference in the lives of these creatures, look under the tab “More Ways to Give”. Until next week!