TO THE
RESCUE
For more than five decades, SeaWorld has rescued and rehabilitated
sick, injured and stranded marine animals while also educating
the public about conservation.
BY JOE YOGERST
O
ne patient is on the operating
table under the care of a skilled
surgeon, another is being moved
from the back of a rescue vehi-
cle into the critical care unit where aides
quickly test his vitals and insert an IV. It
could easily be the emergency room of a big-
city hospital. But in this case, the first patient
is a surf scoter duck, the second a California
sea lion, and the “ER” is the Animal Rescue
Center at SeaWorld San Diego.
SeaWorld has been involved with animal
rescue on some level for more than 50 years,
since the park opened in 1964. Eventually,
the official SeaWorld Rescue Team was
established, working with state, local and
federal agencies to rehabilitate creatures
that are orphaned, injured, ill or stranded,
with the ultimate goal of returning them
to the wild once they’re deemed healthy
enough to be released. For the few animals
that wouldn’t survive in the wild due to cer-
tain conditions, SeaWorld or other zoologi-
cal facilities are able to provide lifelong care.
SeaWorld is a member of the Marine
Mammal Stranding Network under the
oversight of the National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS). Most of the animals
they rescue are from beaches along the San
Diego County coast between the Mexico
and Orange County borders, while others
are plucked from docks, bays and lagoons.
Sometimes, SeaWorld assists outside of
its San Diego County jurisdiction area at
the request of the NMFS. The distressed
20
creatures are transported to the rescue cen-
ter, where SeaWorld’s veterinarians and ani-
mal care specialists are able to treat a wide
variety of afflictions.
Animals are released back into the wild at
appropriate points, mostly along the coast. In
the case of fully recuperated seals, sea lions
and dolphins, they are often transported
on a 27-foot Boston Whaler boat aptly
named Second Chance to anywhere from 2
to 15 miles offshore for return in areas with
similar species and sufficient food sources.
But, before they return home, these animals
Sea lion pups are returned to the wild.
Jody Westberg, SeaWorld San Diego’s stranded animal coordinator, attempts a rescue.