Heartwarming Video of Five Adorable Seals and Their Race Back to Ocean

Laguna Beach, CA — There was a group of unlikely critters ready to be evacuated during the Laguna Canyon fire last week.

Tucked away on Laguna Canyon Road, a facility designed for the rehabilitation and release of marine mammals, was making calls to relocate their animals at the first sign of smoke.

“Fortunately we didn’t have to evacuate any of the animals,” she said. “In fact, we had the release of five animals on Sunday morning.”

The seals, lovingly nicknamed ChillyWilly, Cinderella, Jailbird, Dodger and Flannagan, were released by PMMC the morning of June 26.

Release day is always a joyous occurrence for the PMMC volunteers, friends and fans.

“It’s been a busy season again, and our volunteers and staff really have pulled together,” she said. “The peak time they come in is in March and April.”

According to Hunter, most of the animals in the facility's care have low body weight or are sick. Before-and- after pictures, like one in the below video, show the difference that PMMC makes in these marine mammals' lives.

“When you take an animal from near death’s door and get them through a critical stage, it’s so gratifying,” she said. “It’s great to be able to share that with our volunteers.”

The Pacific Marine Mammal Center has been taking care of Orange County marine mammal rescues since the early 1970s. It currently has a volunteer waiting list for people who want to assist with animal care.

“It’s wonderful to have so much community and county support,” she said. The center is looking forward to its annual Gala coming up in the fall. “Our event raises much needed funds for running the non-profit center.”

With its beginnings of a lifeguard learning how to care for a sick baby seal and return it to the ocean, this Laguna Beach facility has grown into the go-to marine mammal care center for the whole of Orange County. Hunter described the process of caring for the large number of seals, sea lions and elephant seals in its care.

“Beachgoers, lifeguards, park rangers all call on us when they notice a marine mammal they feel is in trouble,” she said. “Sometimes the animals are sick, or suffering from malnourishment, other times they are just resting.”

Visit PMMC's website, and watch a live webcam of seals and sea lions swimming in the pools, healing and getting ready to be released back out into the ocean.

“Getting them back out into the ocean water, that’s the goal,” she said. “That is what’s most gratifying.”

For more information on the PMMC, visit www.Pacificmmc.org