Alert: It's Harbor Seal Pupping Season - learn more

Oregon Marine Mammal Stranding Network

Documenting and investigating the causes of marine mammal strandings in Oregon.  Report a stranding

Program Objectives

  • Collect data on stranded cetaceans, pinnipeds, sea otters, and sea turtles in Oregon
  • Determine causes of morbidity and mortality
  • Report data to NOAA Fisheries for inclusion in the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program’s National Stranding Database
  • Provide data to track emerging, infections, and zoonotic diseases
  • Pathology performed by the Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
  • Document human interaction takes (boat collision, fisheries, gunshot, marine debris)
  • Mitigate harassment

  • Disentangle marine mammals from debris and fishery gear

  • Provide euthanasia to severely moribund animals

  • OMMSN answers more than 1,200 stranding-related calls annually

Learn more about OMMSN

Sea Lion Webcam

View Map       About The Webcam

 

Please NOTE
  • It's normal for seals and sea lions to rest on shore.
  • There are no rescue and rehabilitation options for sick or injured seals and sea lions in Oregon. The state policy is to minimize disturbance from people and to let nature take its course.

Learn how and what to report

Recent Strandings Map

View in ArcGIS

View in Google Maps

 

Harbor Seal Pupping Season

Springtime is pup season. At this time of year, harbor seal pups are frequently found alone on area beaches. They are usually not stranded, but simply resting (as all baby mammals must do) and waiting for their mothers to come back ashore to nurse them. Adult female seals are shy and unlikely to rejoin a pup if there is activity nearby. They may only return to suckle their pup at night when people (and dogs) are not around. It is very important not to interfere with this process, and especially not to move a pup from where it is receiving care from its mother.

It is a violation of federal and state laws to harass, disturb, touch, or feed marine mammals. Please report violations to the Oregon State Police (800) 452-7888.