Animal Rescue

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SeaWorld to the Rescue

For more than 45 years ill, orphaned, or injured animals have been given a second chance by SeaWorld’s Animal Rescue Team. SeaWorld is part of the Southwest Region Marine Mammal Stranding Network and is authorized by the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service to respond to marine mammal strandings.

Animals frequently strand because of separation from their mother at a young age, inability to find food, entanglement or other injury, and poisoning from harmful algal blooms. SeaWorld San Antonio commonly rescues California sea lions, northern elephant seals, harbor seals, sea turtles, pelicans and other seabirds, dolphins, and whales.

Upon arrival at SeaWorld, animals are examined and cared for by our expert team of animal care specialists, medical technologists, and veterinarians. Animals may need x-rays, minor surgeries, medicines, or fluids and nourishment. Some animals, such as orphaned pups or those in critical condition, require around the clock care.

Once fully rehabilitated, animals are returned to their ocean home. They are tagged for future identification and some receive temporary tracking devices, to follow their journey back into the wild.

The SeaWorld Rescue and Rehabilitation Program is an important part of our commitment to conservation, research, and education. Stranded animals are a valuable source of scientific information, allowing scientists to gather data that would be difficult to obtain in the wild. Observations conducted on rescued animals help experts in their studies of marine mammal biology, physiology, diet, disease, population dynamics, and the effects of pollutants. This information may help threatened and endangered species.

A Closer Look

To follow SeaWorld’s animal rescue efforts, visit our blog at www.insideconservation.com.

What should you do if you see a stranded animal? Do not approach it or try to return it to the water. Notify SeaWorld or another authorized animal rescue organization, a lifeguard or park ranger, or animal control. Take note of details such as the exact location of the animal, physical characteristics, and the condition of the animal. Watch the animal until the authorized rescue team arrives and call the team immediately if the animal returns to the water.