The Central Coast Pet Sitter

Help Team Hawaiian Monk Seal Swim to Save the
Most Endangered Pinniped in U.S. Waters!

Pictured above: Marjorie Boor, Liz Wheeler, Claire Donaldson, Nancy Levine, Kelsey Higbie, Rebecca Greene, Frances Gulland

On Saturday, September 4, 2010, “Team Hawaiian Monk Seal” from The Marine Mammal Center will compete in the Maui Channel Swim to support the Center’s efforts to raise funds to build an urgently needed hospital for monk seals in Kona. The swimmers will join 52 teams and 20 solo swimmers from around the world in a daring crossing of the Au Au channel- from the beach at Lanai to Black Rock on the shores of Kaanapali. The channel is well known for swift currents as well as tiger sharks and Portuguese Man ‘O Wars. Dive in with the team as they race for 10 miles in the unpredictable world of this fragile species.

Currently, there are no medical facilities in Hawaii for Hawaiian monk seals. This means that monk seals that are sick and injured, including pups that are prematurely weaned by their mothers or are entangled in ocean trash, are not able to be saved. The population of Hawaiian monk seals is currently 1,100 and is declining at a rate of 4% annually. With population numbers like this, each and every monk seal counts and a hospital for monk seals will allow us to return some of these sick animals back to the ocean. For more information about the Center’s plans for the Hawaiian monk seal hospital, click here.

You can help by sponsoring Team Hawaiian Monk Seal – their goal is to raise at least $11,000!

Click here to support the team today!

Thank you and Mahalo for your support!

TEAM HAWAIIAN MONK SEAL MEMBERS:

Dr. Frances Gulland, Director of Veterinary Science, The Marine Mammal Center
Marjorie Boor, Echocardiographer and Volunteer, The Marine Mammal Center
Claire Donaldson Masters, Swim Coach and Volunteer, The Marine Mammal Center (and mother of Kelsey Higbie)
Dr. Rebecca Greene, Veterinarian, The Marine Mammal Center
Kelsey Higbie, Volunteer, The Marine Mammal Center
Dr. Nancy Levine, Biologist, Steinhart Aquarium, California Academy of Sciences
Liz Wheeler, Research Associate, The Marine Mammal Center

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