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By K. Snyder
Talk about a hands-on experience; The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito California has partnered with the Animal Science Department at Cal Poly to offer a unique class. Veterinary students at the college enrolled in the class will be given the opportunity to work closely with sea lions and seals at the Morro Bay facility. For 6 hours every week, the students will assist with the rescues of stranded and injured marine mammals, and help with the rehabilitation of the sick animals that enter the center.
The course was taught for the first time this past spring by Heather Harris, a wildlife veterinarian for the Marine Mammal Center. The center has seen an increase in beached malnourished pups in recent years so the help provided by the students will be much appreciated.
The Marine Mammal Center is based in the San Francisco Bay area, with facilities in Morro Bay and Moss Landing. They are the largest marine mammal hospital in the world. In 2015, the center rescued over 1,800 marine mammals, setting a record in their 41-year history as a rehabilitation center.