Volunteers Needed At Marine Mammal Center For Seal Pupping Season

MARIN COUNTY, CA – The Marine Mammal Center in Marin County is seeking volunteers to care for animals during seal pupping season.

This is the Sausalito-based center's busiest season, as elephant and harbor seals come to California's shores to give birth this time of year. A few seal pups have already needed to be rescued, staff said, so the center is looking for volunteers to help care for the mammals at its animal hospital.

"Volunteering here at the center is a unique experience because of how hands-on the work truly is," Michele Hunnewell, animal care volunteer and Wednesday crew volunteer supervisor, said in a statement. "The opportunity to have a major impact in giving these marine mammals a second chance is incredibly fulfilling and makes me feel like I'm making a difference."

The center is seeking animal care volunteers from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. Center officials typically ask for a commitment of at least six months, but there is at least one available position in the fish kitchen with no long-term commitment required.

All new volunteers receive training. The center is holding two open houses for interested volunteers from 7-9 p.m. Feb. 15 and from 9-11 a.m. Feb. 17. Click here to register. Prospective volunteers can also email the volunteer team at volunteer@tmmc.org for more information.

Since 1975, The Marine Mammal Center has rescued and treated nearly 20,000 marine mammals.

Volunteer support is essential to the center's operation. In 2017, the center rescued 630 animals with the assistance of more than 1,200 volunteers who provided about 142,000 hours of service.

Main photo by Bill Hunnewell/The Marine Mammal Center

Photo 2 by The Marine Mammal Center