Pinniped High levels of organic chemicals accumulate in these animals since they are near the top of food chains and have large reserves of blubber. Lactating mothers can pass the toxins on to their young. These pollutants can cause gastrointestinal cancers, decreased reproductivity and greater vulnerability to infectious diseases. Other man-made threats include habitat destruction by oil and gas exploitation, encroachment by boats, and underwater noise. Pinniped Pinnipeds, commonly known as seals, are a widely distributed and diverse clade of carnivorous, fin-footed, semiaquatic marine mammals. They comprise the extant families Odobenidae (whose only living member is the walrus), Otariidae (the eared
Northcoast Marine Mammal Center is the Executive Director of the Northcoast Marine Mammal Center. Northcoast Marine Mammal Center The Northcoast Marine Mammal Center (NMMC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of stranded, sick or injured seals, sea lions, dolphins, porpoises and whales along the northernmost coast of California. The Northcoast Marine Mammal Center is funded by donations and grants and has a large volunteer force which allows it to accomplish its mission. The Northcoast Marine Mammal Center is located in Crescent City, California and has operations that cover a significant portion of the region. NMMC was founded in 1984 by