Harbor seal Bogey / photo by Ingrid Overgard © The Marine Mammal Center.
The Marine Mammal Center is the world’s largest marine mammal hospital and education center, a critical first responder to the threats facing our ocean, and a leading contributor to the global body of research and knowledge about marine mammal medicine and health.
The Center shares its more than four decades of experience responding to marine mammals in distress to help address a growing rescue and response need for marine mammals everywhere. Its ultimate goal is to support a worldwide network capable of responding to every marine mammal in need.
The greatest threats to marine mammals are often caused directly or indirectly by people, but we can also be their greatest champions. Animals rescued by the Center reveal threats facing our ocean, such as toxins and pollution, depleted fish stocks, increasing prevalence of ocean trash, and warming water. The Center is committed to being a champion for ocean health and a voice for the patients it cares for. In order to conserve the ocean environment, the Center engages communities to become part of the solution. By expanding access to educational resources and learning opportunities, the Center also aims to inspire the next generation of engaged citizens with opportunities to address ocean health threats. As is increasingly clear and even stated in the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development goals, healthy oceans and marine biodiversity are critical to the health of all people and the planet we share.
