Hey, Buddy, Can You Spare A Few Bucks For Some Fish? PMMC Feeds Ailing Seals, Sea Lions

LAGUNA BEACH, CA—It’s the slow season at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center, which means only 8 patients are recuperating there on a sunny August morning. But the center is buzzing with activity. Summer campers are at work in the classroom. Ph.D. researchers are compiling data. Repairs are underway in preparation for the busiest months.

From January to June, there are up to 65 mammals at the small center, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. On average, patients consume 100,000 pounds of fish per year on the road to recovery. PMMC’s annual Fish Drive aims to raise $50,000. Since $1 equals 1 pound of fish, that’s half the demand.

A sign in the visitors’ area keeps track—only 5,000 pounds to go.

The public is welcome to the visitors' yard from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

On a recent morning, a docent was helping a family learn about Gouda and Haggis in the intermediate pool. The two ailing California sea lions were playful yet far from being released back into the ocean.

Lounging at the graduation pool are two robust elephant seals, Chaffee and Flower. Chaffee is days away from his return to the sea.

Each patient at PMMC is tagged on a tail fin and tracked. First, so their caregivers can tell them apart. For unless you memorize tar spots or scars, they look an awful lot alike.

And second, if the mammals are ever stranded again after release, the center can immediately access their chart to give them the best chance of survival.

Tracking the data also provides researchers at PMMC clues as to why the animal is in danger yet again, with a goal to identify and advocate for changing the conditions that cause injury in the first place.

The third reason is to enjoy happy outcomes. Thanks to their tags, former patients are often spotted on the big red buoy outside Dana Point Harbor, all grown up with healthy pups of their own.

Read: 13 Sea Lions Released Back Into The Pacific: Video

Patch was lucky enough to be guided behind the scenes by Krysta Higuchi. Like half of PMMC’s staff, she started as a volunteer. While she now serves as events & PR manager, Krysta was part of the team that recently rescued a young elephant seal they named Nyjah.

Before meeting Nyjah, Krysta introduced us to one of her mentors, who also began as a volunteer. Michele Hunter is director of animal care, or as Krysta calls her, “Mother to all sea lions.”

Now in her 32nd year at PMMC, Michele is a natural with newborns, such as a harbor seal named Sidney. Rescued at a measly 14 pounds, a release wasn’t a possibility. Sidney had never learned how to survive in her natural habitat. Michele hand-raised her to a healthy 101 pounds so that Sidney could begin adult life in a New York aquarium. “She’s an ambassador for her species,” Krysta said.

For most patients, release back to their natural habitat is the goal. So it’s dangerous for them to form attachments to humans, which could impede success.

It was easy to remember not to engage when encountering Nyjah, who is very ill. His rescue at Crystal Cove revealed a stingray barb in his muzzle in addition to malnutrition and dehydration.

But the moment you look into Elektra's lively face—well, it was like suddenly seeing a puppy. We gushed at her before realizing what we’d done. But Krysta forgave us instantly; we were not the first to forget.

A California sea lion, Elektra is suspected of suffering from domoic-acid toxicity. That’s when inland runoff carries nasty chemicals into the ocean, where algae absorb them. Fish eat the algae and sea lions eat the fish. Seizures are the telltale symptom.

Human factors, such as ocean temperature changes, fishhooks and entanglements, DDT unlawfully dumped in faulty barrels, and run-off are all dangers to these mammals.

That’s why when asked what’s the most important research at the center, Dr. Alissa Deming chose to give a big-picture answer. “Health of the ecosystem,” the VP of conservation medicine and science answered.

“Sea lions are the 'canary in the coal mine' of the ocean,” added Krysta. What befalls these mammals has a direct correlation to human health.

But humans have the power to make changes. The more we learn how to protect the ocean, the healthier life will be for us all.

Visit the center or its website to find out all you can do to be a friend to the sea lion. Maybe even attend the 50th-anniversary gala in November.

And if you see a stranded sea lion or seal, take a photo, then call (949) 494-3050 right away.

Read also:

Rooster Is On The Mend Thanks To Pacific Marine Mammal Center

Marine Mammal Burials In Laguna Beach 'Common Practice' City Says

Heartwarming Video of Five Adorable Seals and Their Race Back to Ocean

Sea Lions Suffering From Domoic Acid Poisoning, Laguna Beach Rescue Says