California Wildlife Center says it is a good time to learn safety precautions to help stranded marine mammals, as beaches continue to be packed with people. In the case of finding an injured or sick sea mammal, CWC has released a list of tips on its social media to help out the animal.
CWC said not to come in any physical contact with the animal, including feeding and pouring water on it, because wild animals are easily stressed by humans and can cause harm to others. The animal should be observed from at least 50 feet away because of its distressed nature. People and dogs should stay away from them.
When reporting to CWC about a stranded marine mammal, make sure to take into account the physical appearance of it (size, fur color, external ear flaps) so the response team can easily identify the species and decide what equipment to use for rescue. Its condition is also important information that can help the rescue team, such as whether or not the animal is weak, underweight or has any open wounds. Additionally, the team needs exact directions and location of the animal in order to find it.
In such a case, make sure to call the California Wildlife Center at 310.458.9453 ext. 1 for marine mammals.