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2014 Impact Report 2014 ANNUAL REPORT Reflecting on Our History and Looking to the Future Contents 1 Why We Rescue 2 Celebrating 40 Years of Rescue, Research and Education 4 Reflecting on Our History 6 Rescuing Record Numbers 8 Recognizing the Power of People 10 Using New Technology 12 Heading into the Field 14 Saving a Species from Extinction 16 Expanding International Reach 18 Providing Hands-on Education 20 Sharing What We Learn 22 Looking to the Future 24 Our Donors 38 Board of Directors 39 Financial Summary The Marine Mammal Center 2014 Annual Report Why We Rescue 1 Our mission: To expand knowledge about marine mammals — their health and that of their ocean environment — and inspire their global conservation. From its very beginning, The Marine Mammal Center Marine mammals serve as sentinels of the sea, alerting has been an organization with animal welfare at its us to the dangers they face. Rescuing these animals can core. When our founding volunteers fi rst began rescuing help raise the alarm and inspire public action on human stranded sea lions, the effort was about easing suffering impacts like pollutants, ocean trash, overfi shing and and lending a helping hand to animals in need. global warming. This still rings true for us today—responding to suffering The Marine Mammal Center is committed to going animals and providing them with life-saving care is the beyond rescue and research to provide education right and humane thing to do. But the reasons we rescue programming that also helps bring these issues to light. extend beyond that now, as we recognize that marine mammal health is closely connected to the health of We care about each animal that comes into our care, our planet overall. and we mourn the loss of those that we can’t save. But in every interaction with every patient, we’re providing As much as this work is about giving each individual compassion and care and advancing our collective animal the care and attention it needs to return to ability to make a difference in profound ways. the wild with a second chance, it is also about populations as a whole, the health of the ocean and even human health. One sick sea lion won’t tell you much. But thousands of sick sea lions rescued over the course of four decades have taught us a lot. Our scientists have discovered entirely new illnesses with relevance to human health issues. And everything we’ve learned about marine mammals in our 40-year history has helped us become experts in how to care for species that are still at risk of extinction, such as the Hawaiian monk seal. As we care for and diagnose our patients, we’re not just learning about the specifi c diseases that affect marine Every rescue provides an opportunity to learn more. mammals, we’re also learning about the health of the ocean as a whole. 2000 Bunker Road, Fort Cronkhite, Sausalito, CA 94965 | 415.289.7325 (SEAL) | MarineMammalCenter.org Celebrating 40 Years of Rescue, Research and Education 2 Over the last 40 years, The Marine Mammal Center has rescued more than 20,000 animals. But our history is about so much more than statistics. Our work is about people and teamwork, dedication but also why we feel it is so important to share what we and commitment. It’s about science and research, and learn from them—to raise awareness, to sound the alarm, contributing to a greater understanding of our planet. to keep history from repeating itself. It’s about growing and learning, and teaching the next generation. And most importantly, it’s about you—our supporters— without whom none of this would be possible. As we look to what’s next for The Marine Mammal Center, we’re looking beyond the individual patient to see the bigger picture. And we can see quite clearly that the world is changing. From climate change to pollution to ocean trash, humans are having a devastating impact on marine mammals and on our ocean environment as a whole. It’s part of the reason we feel so strongly about rescuing these animals, The Marine Mammal Center 2014 Annual Report Celebrating 40 Years of Rescue, Research and Education 3 Now more than ever, we recognize that our next 40 years and beyond must be driven by our mission to inspire and empower a new generation of ocean stewards. When our fi rst California sea lion was rescued and released With great hope for the future back in 1975, we didn’t have internet access or portable ............................ x-ray machines or a state-of-the-art hospital facility. Now, we’re able to use 21st century tools and technology to collaborate with scientists all over the world and get a better understanding of what’s happening not just with individual patients but with populations and the environment as a whole. By building on our 40-year history, we are able to combine decades’ worth of data and expertise to collaborate on projects like a Marine Mammal Health Map, which would give researchers, policymakers and the public Merrill L. Magowan | Chair Dr. Jeff Boehm | Executive Director unprecedented insight into what’s happening in our ocean. (Read more about this exciting project on page 22.) Now more than ever, we recognize that our next 40 years and beyond must be driven by our mission to inspire and empower a new generation of ocean stewards. 2000 Bunker Road, Fort Cronkhite, Sausalito, CA 94965 | 415.289.7325 (SEAL) | MarineMammalCenter.org Reflecting on Our History 4 In 1975, Lloyd Smalley, Paul Maxwell and Pat Arrigoni established the California Marine Mammal Center on a former Nike missile site in the Marin Headlands, just north of The Marine Mammal Center’s the Golden Gate Bridge. A California sea lion named Herman was the first patient to Founders be treated and released. Since then, we have responded to more than 20,000 marine mammals along the California coast. • Lloyd Smalley • Pat Arrigoni Over four decades, the Center has evolved into the world’s • Paul Maxwell largest rehabilitation hospital of its kind and an international leader in the field of marine mammal science. 1750 Yearly Admits 1975 - 2014 1500 l 1975 – California sea lion Herman is the first patient to be treated and released l 1979 – Center publishes its first scientific paper 1250 l 1982 – Formalized education programs begin l 1985 – Humphrey the humpback whale swims up the Sacramento River l 1989 – California sea lions begin hauling out at PIER 39 1000 l 1992 – During El Niño event, Center cares for record 210 patients onsite at one time l 1998 – Center diagnoses first case of domoic acid toxicosis in marine mammals 792 l 2005 – Groundbreaking for MBO and SLO satellite facilities l 750 713 l 2009 – State-of-the-art hospital facility opens in Sausalito l l 2011 – 10,000th California sea lion rescued 572 l 2014 – Ke Kai Ola, our Hawaiian monk seal hospital, opens l 500 418 293 l 381 297 316 l l l l 250 193 150 141 l 101 126 98 l 66 73 70 l 7 31 62 l l l l l l l l l 0 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 The Marine Mammal Center 2014 Annual Report 5 Executive Directors Founding Board of Directors • Lloyd Smalley (1975-1982) • Lloyd Smalley (President and Founder) • Bill Keener (1982) • Paul Paulbitski (Vice President) • Peigin Barrett (1982-1996) • Robert Bottini (Associate Director) • Margaret “Peggy” Burks (1997-2000) • Bruce Keegan (Secretary-Treasurer) • B.J. Griffi n (2000-2007) • Edward Rojas (Legal Consultant) • Martha Whetstone (2007-2008) • Jeff Boehm (2008-present) 1643 l 1130 1036 l 944 l l 819 l 707 l 624 664 676 672 666 597 l l l l l l 530 548 522 521 l 480 l l l l 434 l 428 287 l l 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2000 Bunker Road, Fort Cronkhite, Sausalito, CA 94965 | 415.289.7325 (SEAL) | MarineMammalCenter.org Rescuing Record Numbers 6 An infl ux of young sea lions early in 2014 pushed us into our busiest pupping season to date—with more animals admitted over the course of the fi rst four months of the year than we had ever seen previously. An Epic Year Hoppie Helps Highlight a Crisis In 2014, we rescued our 11,000th California sea lion, an As our patient counts began to increase, one pup in emaciated young pup named Epic. While Epic’s rescue particular became quite the media darling. California represented a special milestone in our history, his sea lion Hoppie swam up the San Joaquin River and into condition, unfortunately, was not unique. Over the last the hearts of America. Found in an almond orchard near several years, we have seen an unusually high number Modesto, California, more than 100 miles from the coast, of starving young sea lions. And in 2014, those animals Hoppie and his unusual story caught the attention came in just as we were reaching peak elephant seal of reporters across the country. After fi ve weeks of and harbor seal pup season. treatment for malnourishment and pneumonia, his return to the wild was documented by local media. Our record-breaking pupping season—and the plight of the California sea lions at the center of it—drew attention from media outlets across the country.
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