Please contact one of the listed agencies immediately. This is the best action that you can take in saving the animal’s life. Approaching a marine mammal is not recommended except in the most extreme emergency. The last thing anyone who finds a stranded dolphin should do is push the animal back to sea. Instead, a bystander should keep other people or animals away from the dolphin and keep the creature wet. Any applied water should be directed away from the dolphin’s blowhole. Beached seals and sea lions should be kept dry because they often suffer from pneumonia.

MARINE MAMMAL STRANDINGS

INJURED/SICK/ENTANGLED

Los Angeles County

Ft McArthur Center- 310-548-5677
(PINNIPEDS ONLY)

Santa Barbara County
(805)687-3255
Santa Barbara Marine Mammal Center HOTLINE

Ventura County
(805) 567-1505
Channel Islands Marine and Wildlife Institute
www.cimwi.org

San Luis Obispo County
(415) 289-7325
The Marine Mammal Center

DEAD CETACEANS (DOLPHINS, WHALES , SEA OTTERS& SEA TURTLES)

Santa Barbara and Ventura County

Ventura County: email:orca@orcaoutreach.org
What to Do in Case of Stranding?
www.orcaoutreach.org

Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
(805) 682-4711; ext. 156

Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History
(DOLPHINS and WHALES ONLY)
(323) 585-5105

SEA BIRDS INJURED/SICK

Santa Barbara County
(805)966-9005
Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network

Ventura County
(805) 388-4341
Ventura County Animal Regulation

ALL SEA OTTER SIGHTINGS HEALTHY/INJURED/DEAD

(805)644-1766
US Fish and Wildlife

DEAD PINNIPEDS
All Counties- National Marine Fisheries Service
(562) 980-4017

Updates on shellfish biotoxins, quarantines and other information
California Department of Public Health 1-800-553-4133 Toll free information line

VIOLATIONS CONTACTS:

Violations of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and/or Endangered Species Act:
NOAA Fisheries Enforcement
1-800-853-1964, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (statewide)

To report violations of Sanctuary regulations:
Channel Islands NMS (805) 966-7107

If you have witnessed a poaching incident or any State fish and wildlife violation or have information about such a violation:

California Department of Fish and Game CalTIP Hotline 1-888-DFS-CALTIP or
(888) 334-2258, 8:00AM – 5:00 PM seven days a week.

Oil and Hazardous Spills:
California Office of Emergency Services (800) 852-7550

 click here for a PDF of the Domoic Acid Fact Sheet

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