Adopt a Patient
Symbolically adopt a patient and you can help thousands of other animals in need.
Symbolically adopt a patient from the Marine Mammal Care Center through a generous donation. This gift will help provide the animals in our care with food and expert medical treatment until they can return to their ocean home. Marine Mammal Care Center’s Adopt a Pup program makes the perfect gift for loved ones, celebrations, and holidays!
The $25 donation level will be an instant digital download, or you can visit our Center in person to pick up your Adopt a Pup in our gift shop.
Mochi is a male harbor seal pup that was rescued from Palos Verdes Estates. Estimated to be about a week old at the time of rescue, Mochi would have still been nursing with his mother. Without her, he wouldn’t be able to survive on his own. Our trained responders will be able to assess whether a seal pup like Mochi needs help or is simply resting. Once Mochi arrived at our hospital, our veterinary team examined him and determined that he was emaciated and dehydrated but otherwise healthy. He was given a mixture of formula and water along with some additional fluids. After more than doubling in size and proving that he had the skills to catch live fish on his own, Mochi was released back to the wild with a second chance at life.
California sea lion Pop, an adult male, was found looking sick and lethargic on Redondo Beach. During Pop’s intake exam, our veterinary team determined that he was positive for leptospirosis, a life-threatening bacterial infection that affects the kidneys and can lead to a cascade of health problems. Leptospirosis is contagious, so animals like Pop are often kept isolated from more vulnerable patients; it can also be transmitted to humans, dogs and many other species, so our animal care experts wear protective clothing to prevent transmission. For the first few days in care, Pop had little interest in eating and our care team noted that he was coughing and congested. Over the course of a month, Pop’s health improved, and he began eating more, eventually gaining a healthy amount of weight. Thanks to the care he received, Pop returned to the wild with a second chance at life and fatherhood.
California sea lion Romeo, a large adult male weighing more than 400 pounds, was rescued from Dockweiler Beach with help from several of our Pinniped Patrol volunteers as well as a lifeguard. While on the beach, Romeo displayed abnormal behavior, indicating neurological disease, including having a seizure. Our veterinary team determined that he was likely suffering the effects of domoic acid, a neurotoxin produced by harmful algal blooms that impacts a sea lion’s brain, as well as other vital organs like the heart and liver. Romeo was started on a specialized treatment plan, including anti- seizure medication, fluids, and healthy fish meals. Within a few weeks weeks his health had improved and he was released back to the wild. Thank you for supporting domoic acid patients like Romeo!
Elmer is a Pacific harbor seal who was found extremely malnourished and without his mother. Just days old, this newborn pup still had his umbilical cord attached and was suffering from hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), lethargy, and frequent seizures. Unfortunately, Elmer developed bilateral cataracts, rendering him blind in both eyes. We knew that Elmer couldn’t survive in the wild, so we asked NOAA to find him a “forever home” where he could live a long and happy life. We are happy to report that Elmer was placed at the Bahia Resort Hotel in San Diego, where he now lives with two other blind harbor seals that were rescued and deemed non-releasable, in a large, sunny outdoor enclosure with round-the-clock loving care.
Clyde is a Pacific harbor seal pup who was prematurely separated from his mother and extremely malnourished and dehydrated. He was found on a rock in Palos Verdes, with her mother nowhere to be found. Our Rescue team quickly and gently brought this few-week-old harbor seal pup to MMCC. Clyde was in critical condition and was given round-the-clock veterinary care. Our team tube-fed him, taught him how to eat whole fish, and then he learned how to hunt live fish. During his rehabilitation journey, Clyde bonded with another orphaned harbor seal pup, Bonnie. They were released together back into their ocean home!
King is a California sea lion pup who managed to climb up a ramp into a restaurant. He had fallen asleep by the stove, where it was warm. King was suffering from life-threatening malnourishment and hypothermia. When King arrived, he weighed only 31 pounds. Within six weeks, he more than tripled his weight! His speedy weight gain allowed him to join other sea lion pup patients in our larger pool enclosure for socialization, a crucial part of his development and preparation for release back into the wild. On release day, King made a beeline for the water at Cabrillo Beach as soon as his release crate door was opened.
Daisy is a northern fur seal pup who was found floating and twitching in Marina Del Rey. Our Rescue team swam out to rescue her and drove back to MMCC. Upon intake, we realized that Daisy only weighed 10 lbs and was severely malnourished. Daisy was a fighter, and over a few months, she gained weight and strength. Daisy was a small but mighty patient and was very vocal when it came to food and playing. Within six months of Daisy’s rehabilitation journey, two more fur seal pups came in, and they became a bonded trio. Together, they were released off the Channel Islands with Daisy being the first to jump in!
Lucky is a northern elephant seal pup who was stranded in Manhattan Beach. Lucky was extremely malnourished and separated from her mother prematurely. Luckily, a beachgoer found Lucky and called our Marine Mammal Hotline at 1-800-89-WHALE. Our Animal Care team jumped into action with Lucky and administered medication to treat her parasites, and began tube-feeding her since she could not eat on her own. After four months of shelter, 3+ meals a day, and veterinary care, Lucky was ready to return to her ocean home. On release day, Lucky moved slowly but surely in the waves.
