San Francisco Bay Space a ‘sizzling spot’ for marine mammal harassment, extreme circumstances embrace dragging, specialists say

“Don’t touch the wildlife,” officials say

Tourists risk their lives to take selfies and get close to wildlife. These people also risk the animal’s help. FOX Weather takes a look at some shocking examples and speaks to a wildlife expert about the problem.

SAUSALITO, California – The Marine Mammal Center, home of the world’s largest hospital for marine mammals, released new data Monday showing more than 25 percent of the animals rescued in 2022 were in distress due to negative interactions with humans and dogs. The center rescues animals along 600 miles of California’s northern and central coast.

The center said harassment of wildlife was a contributing or direct factor in more than 150 cases of marine mammals rescued and hospitalized last year.

Experts reported a rise in incidents of harassment from seals and sea lions along the coasts of northern and central California, as they warned the animals are facing increasing threats from humans and dogs.

In some severe cases, workers responded to dragged animals. In other cases, people tried to feed or pour water on seals and sea lions.

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Sionna, a female seal pup, was rescued at Bolinas Beach on April 26, 2022 by trained responders from the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, California, after she was picked up and placed on a surfboard, separating the captive animal from its mother. The animal was later released back into the wild after treatment at the center’s hospital (Joan Lasnie / KTVU FOX 2)

In one case, the center rescued a female seal pup named Sionna from Bolinas Beach in Marin County after someone picked her up and placed her on a surfboard, separating the dependent cub from her mother, the center said.

Animal keepers treated Sionna and later released her back into the wild.

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Sionna, a female seal pup, was treated and released into the wild by the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, California. (Joanne Lasnie © The Marine Mammal Center / KTVU FOX 2)

According to authorities, dogs were responsible for more than a quarter of all incidents of harassment.

“Specifically in the San Francisco Bay Area, the prominent examples of cases of harassment were the illegal picking up of seal pups in Marin County and the human and dog handling of young seals and sea lions in San Francisco and San Mateo Counties,” the center said in a press release .

The center detailed a case involving a stranded and injured puppy named Snowcone that its trained experts responded to at Shell Beach, Sonoma County in April 2022. Officials said two beachgoers illegally picked up the seal, who was young enough to nurse, and separated him from his mother.

Rescue workers found the seal had sustained a serious head injury resulting from a dog attack.

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Trained experts from the Marine Mammal Center trimmed Snowcone, a nursing male pup, on Shell Beach, Sonoma County, in April 2022 after he was illegally picked up by two beachgoers and separated from his mother. The animal died on the way to the center’s hospital, experts said. (The Marine Mammal Center / KTVU FOX 2)

“This incident likely occurred after the animal was taken from the established colony or breeding area to a portion of the beach with numerous off-leash dogs,” officials said.

The pup eventually died while being transported to the Marine Mammal Hospital.

Experts said the “tragic case” showed how the effects of harassment can have detrimental consequences for marine wildlife.

“While taking a close-up selfie or leaving the dog off-leash near a marine mammal may seem cute and innocent on the surface, it can present real challenges, particularly for young seals and sea lions,” says Adam Ratner of the Marine Mammal Center Associate Director of Conservation Education told KTVU FOX 2, “These behaviors can separate young puppies from their mothers, increasing stress and potentially increasing the risk of disease transmission between humans and animals.”

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Northern fur seal Juicebox, a male pup, was rescued by trained responders from the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, California on October 22, 2022 after he was bitten by an off-leash dog and released back into the sea by a beach visitor. (Bill Hunnewell © The Marine Mammal Center / KTVU FOX 2)

Experts called on the public not to crowd or get too close to marine mammals and urged people to take steps to keep the animals safe.

The center planned to use the 2022 data it compiled for a new campaign to educate the public about the dangers of human-animal interactions, with a particular focus on beachgoers, tourists and small businesses “in key interaction hotspots areas”.

The data showed a county-by-county breakdown of cases in the 600-mile response zone. Santa Cruz County had the most incidents of harassment.

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Hotspot areas for human and canine harassment of marine mammals along the California coast, based on 2022 data from the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, California. (The Marine Mammal Center / KTVU FOX 2)

As part of its campaign, the Marine Mammal Center urged the public to follow the following rules when encountering marine animals:

• Keep your distance: Give marine mammals space and enjoy them from a safe distance on beaches and in the water
• Keep dogs on a leash
• Use your zoom: It’s okay to take photos and admire the animals, but if an animal reacts to your presence, you’re too close. Please no SEAL FIES!
• Call the experts, don’t intervene.

“The only way to ensure the safety and welfare of these animals is to first call the experts and maintain a safe distance until trained responders arrive,” officials said.