| Marine Mammal Center |
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Information AboutMarine Mammal Center |
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| cetaceans | |
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| fauna of western united states | |
| oceanography | |
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The Marine Mammal Center is a private non-profit , Northern Elephant Seal , Pacific Harbor Seal , Fur Seal , Dolphin and the Endangered Species Southern Sea Otter . Most of the animals brought in are successfully rehabilitated and released to the wild; no medical research is conducted using the rescued animals, although valuable scientific data is collected through routine diagnostic and Necropsy analyses from the normal course of providing Rehabilitation to rescued animals, which data is employed to assess disease Pathologies and relation to the marine environment. Scientists at The Marine Mammal Center collaborate with their counterparts around the world (most notably from England , Canada , Mexico , Brazil , Australia , Scotland , the Netherlands , France and Germany ) in working on complex individual animal treatment cases, and also participate in joint research projects regarding interaction of Ocean dwelling mammals with the marine environment. Research at the Marine Mammal Center has included relationship of Red Tide s and Neurological damage to Pacific Coast ''pinnipedia'' and ''carnivora''. Other recent studies have involved the causation of increasing outbreaks of Leptospirosis , a pathogen induced illness creating acute Kidney damage, in marine mammals. The education outreach program reaches in excess of 100,000 school children and members of the general public each year, emphasizing man’s connection to the marine environment. in recuperation pool at the Marine Mammal Center. Photo Credit: The Marine Mammal Center]] RESCUE AND REHABILITATION The primary mission of The Marine Mammal Center is to take in animals that are not at present fit to survive in the wild and proceed to diagnose and rehabilitate these creatures. While most of the animals treated are afflicted with natural illness such as disease or malnutrition, a certain number have received injury from human action: most commonly from illegal pickup, gunshot, fish netting entrainment. There are also illnesses suspected from human activity such as chemical pollution of the ocean The Marine Mammal Center is able to rehabilitate a strong fraction of the animals cared for and accomplish a release into the wild. Sometimes release into the wild is not a viable option. For example two sea lion pups were hand reared by humans at The Marine Mammal Center, because the mother sea lion died shortly after giving birth. Due to the imprinting that was a necessary outcome of successful rearing of the pups, these pups lacked the survival skills to compete in the wild marine environment. They were transferred to the National Zoo, who wanted two pups to complete a sea lion familyKarlyn Barker, ''National Zoo: Duo in the Swim at Beaver Valley'', Washington Post, Wednesday, May 3, 2006; Page B03. FACILITIES, BUDGET AND GOVERNANCE Approximately $5,000,000 per annum is required to finance The Marine Mammal Center’s present operations. Having a lean overhead, 87% of expenditures go directly to animal care, Veterinary expense and education programs. Facilities include the Marin Headlands headquarters, California field stations in San Luis Obispo , Monterey , Anchor Bay and an interpretive center at Pier 39 in San Francisco . The present facilities and staff, numbering 50 paid staff and 800 trained volunteers, can accommodate a maximum throughput of approximately 1200 animals per annum. The Marine Mammal Center has 35,000 members, increasingly including international constituents, and governance is by a 16 member board of directors, to whom the Executive Director B.J. Griffin reports. The main physical plant in Marin County is currently undergoing extensive modernization and upgrading. Presently there are numerous outdoor pens with pools and haul out surfaces; there are also special purpose facilities including a Veterinary hospital, records room, food preparation and storage rooms and rescue equipment storage area. The hospital includes an Operating Room , treatment areas, office and Pharmaceutical s storage. Some of the functions of the hospital include Thoracic Surgery , Gastrointestinal surgery, Orthopedic surgery as well as routine examinations and blood sampling for patient diagnosis. Some of the equipment used include Electroencephalography devices, Positron Emission Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging . being delivered to adult RESEARCH FUNCTION The research team consists of veterinarians and biologists, who conduct not only medical diagnosis and intervention, but also publish scientific reports on findings of marine animal health in relation to the Pacific Ocean ’s Environmental Chemistry . This scientific research program in collaboration with other selected technology centers provides vital information on marine mammal diseases, Immunological systems and how these animals are affected by changes in their marine environment. Some principal areas of scientific research are:
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