Dr. Michelle Rivard and Casey Mclean, marine mammal expert guests from SR3 in Washington are back in conversation with Gail Buhl, sharing more about the release phase of caring from Harbor Seals. Later in the episode they get into some of the nuanced differences among pinnipeds, particularly the California Sea Lion. We learn what a what makes a seal a "true seal." This episode also dives more into the nitty gritty of daily operations of a marine mammal rehabilitation facility, which is no small feat. There is a LOT of federal paperwork when it comes to marine mammals, but SR3 knows just how to navigate all of it to safely and legally care for the animals in need of help along the Pacific Northwest Coast in the U.S.

Check out the resources below for more on marine mammal rehabilitation, including who to call if you encounter a stranded, orphaned, or injured marine mammal. If you missed Part 1, Gail, Michelle, and Casey discussed their origin stories, the creation of SR3, and caring for Harbor Seals from intake to preparation for release. 

Notes:

SR3: SR³ SeaLife Response, Rehabilitation, and Research (sealifer3.org)

The Marine Mammal Center: Pinnipeds | The Marine Mammal Center

Full listing of contacts, visit: National Marine Mammal stranding response hotlines 

Northern and Northeast U.S.: 866-755-6622

Southern and Southeast U.S., including Puerto Rico: 877-942-5343

West Coast: 866-767-6114

Alaska: 877-925-7773

Hawaii: 888-256-9840

Special thanks to Partners For Wildlife and The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Our executive producer and host is Gail Buhl. Our producer is Kirk Klocke.

To learn more about The Raptor Center, visit Homepage | The Raptor Center (umn.edu). For more on Partners for Wildlife, visit Partners for Wildlife Home | The Raptor Center (umn.edu).