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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsIn the United States, call the NOAA Fisheries marine mammal stranding hotline for the region where you found the seal or sea lion. NOAA currently lists Alaska at 877-925-7773, Greater Atlantic at 866-755-6622, Pacific Islands at 888-256-9840, Southeast at 877-942-5343, and the West Coast at 866-767-6114. You can confirm the correct number and find local reporting options on NOAA’s regional reporting page.
Call promptly when the animal is visibly sick, injured, entangled, stranded in danger, or dead. Do not touch, feed, move, chase, or try to return it to the water. Keep people and pets away while trained responders decide what to do. A seal or sea lion lying on shore is not automatically in trouble: NOAA says most live animals seen ashore are resting and do not need emergency care.
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Use the hotline for the place where you found the animal
Marine mammal stranding response is organized geographically. The appropriate network is determined by the animal’s location, not by your home address or the animal’s apparent species. If you are unsure whether it is a seal, fur seal, or sea lion, report it anyway and describe what you can see.
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These are NOAA’s currently listed United States regional contacts. Numbers and local arrangements can change, so check NOAA’s reporting page when you make the report.
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| Region | NOAA stranding hotline | States and areas generally covered |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 877-925-7773 | Alaska |
| Greater Atlantic | 866-755-6622 | Atlantic coast in the northeastern United States |
| Pacific Islands | 888-256-9840 | U.S. Pacific Island areas |
| Southeast | 877-942-5343 | Southeastern U.S. coast |
| West Coast | 866-767-6114 | California, Oregon, Washington, and the wider West Coast network |
On the West Coast, NOAA also provides a local-contact map in addition to the regional hotline. Calling 1-866-767-6114 is the starting point for California, Oregon, and Washington.
When you should report a seal or sea lion
NOAA Fisheries asks the public to report an animal that is “entangled, stranded, sick, injured, or dead.” A report is appropriate when you can see one of those conditions or when the animal is in a situation that appears to prevent it from remaining safe.
Report these situations
- The animal has an apparent injury or signs of illness.
- Rope, net, fishing line, plastic, or another object is visibly wrapped around it or attached to it.
- The animal is dead, even if it is lying above the normal tide line.
- The animal appears stranded or otherwise unable to return to suitable habitat.
- Several animals are involved, or the scene is changing in a way that could increase danger.
You do not need to diagnose the animal. The stranding network’s trained staff can decide whether a response is needed and what type of response is safe.
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Keep your distance and do not attempt a rescue
Seals and sea lions are wild animals. An apparently calm animal can react defensively when people or dogs approach, and an intervention can cause it to leave a safe resting place or enter the water before it is ready. NOAA’s public guidance is to keep people and pets back, avoid touching or moving the animal, and wait for trained responders when practical.
Distance rules vary by place
NOAA’s national reporting guidance says to stay at least 50 yards away. NOAA’s West Coast guidance says people and pets should remain at least 100 yards away. Those figures are not a single universal rule: use the distance stated for your species and location on the applicable NOAA or local network guidance. If you cannot maintain the recommended distance because of the terrain, back away farther and tell the hotline what is happening.
What not to do
- Do not touch, pet, feed, pour water on, or cover the animal.
- Do not drag it toward the ocean or push it back into the surf.
- Do not surround it, block its route, or try to corral it for photographs.
- Do not let dogs, children, or crowds approach.
- Do not remove fishing gear or other entangling material yourself.
Stay on a public path or another safe, legal location. If reaching the animal would expose you to waves, rocks, traffic, or another hazard, do not approach; describe the hazard to the responder instead. NOAA notes that a response may not be possible when it would compromise human safety.
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What information to give the hotline
A precise, calm report helps the network locate the animal and judge the urgency. Gather information from a safe distance before you call, but do not delay a report of obvious distress while trying to collect every detail.
- Record the date and time. Give the time you first saw the animal and say whether it is still visible.
- Give the exact location. Name the beach, harbor, park, road access, landmark, or nearest address. Latitude and longitude are useful if you have them, but they are not required.
- Describe the animal. Say whether it appears to be a seal, fur seal, or sea lion if you know; otherwise say that identification is uncertain. Report the number of animals.
- State whether it is alive or dead. For a live animal, explain whether it is resting, moving, in the water, or apparently unable to leave.
- Describe the visible problem. Mention an apparent injury, illness, entanglement, or another reason you believe it needs help. Do not attempt a closer inspection.
- Offer safe documentation. A photo or short video taken from the permitted distance can help responders, provided taking it does not require approaching, disturbing, or entering a restricted area.
- Explain access and hazards. Tell the operator whether the site is reachable, fenced, tidal, crowded, or dangerous for responders. Mention people or pets gathering nearby.
Keep your phone available in case the network needs clarification. Follow the operator’s instructions rather than making a second intervention while you wait.
How to tell a normal haul-out from apparent distress
Many seals and sea lions leave the water to rest. NOAA specifically cautions that most seals, fur seals, and sea lions seen alive on shore are resting and do not need emergency care. Resting by itself is not proof of stranding.
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Signs that may be normal
An animal that is lying quietly on a beach, dock, rock, or other shore location may simply be using that site to rest. The safest response is to keep the area quiet, maintain the applicable distance, and observe without trying to make it move. Do not force it into the water to test whether it can swim.
Reasons to call even when you are uncertain
Call the regional network if you see an injury, illness, entanglement, a dead animal, or an apparent inability to return to habitat. You can tell the operator that the animal may only be resting and ask for guidance. Reporting uncertainty is preferable to approaching the animal or attempting a home diagnosis.
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What happens after you report
The hotline connects your information with trained local responders. Staff may ask follow-up questions, request a photograph from a safe distance, or tell you to continue monitoring without approaching. They assess whether a field response is safe and warranted.
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A call does not guarantee that a team will arrive. NOAA says responders may be unable to respond in some cases, including situations in which doing so would endanger people. If the network tells you to leave the animal alone, keep spectators and pets away and follow that direction. Do not interpret a delayed response as permission to handle the animal yourself.
If you cannot place a phone call
NOAA also points to the Dolphin & Whale 911 app for Apple devices. Its stated coverage is along U.S. coasts. Use it as an additional reporting route when a call is not possible, and provide the same location, time, animal-count, condition, and species information. Check NOAA’s reporting page for the appropriate regional contact whenever you can; app availability and coverage can change.
Reporting a dead seal or sea lion
Dead animals should still be reported to the regional stranding network. Do not touch the carcass, remove tags or fishing gear, or allow pets to sniff or bite it. Give the exact location, number of animals, and whether the body is on a beach, in a harbor, or in the water. A photograph from a safe distance may help responders identify it, but never approach a carcass to obtain one.
If the animal is on private property or in a busy public place
Keep people and pets away first, then call the hotline and explain the access problem. If you manage the property, use existing barriers or signs without crowding the animal. Do not create a ring of people, move furniture or boats around it, or attempt to transport it. Tell responders about gates, locked areas, tides, and other details that affect safe access.
What to do while waiting
- Remain far enough away that the animal is not reacting to you.
- Ask other visitors to back away and keep dogs leashed and distant.
- Do not play sounds, wave objects, throw water, or otherwise try to make the animal move.
- Watch from a safe, legal location only if the hotline asks you to provide updates.
- Leave immediately if weather, surf, traffic, or another hazard makes the location unsafe.
These steps protect both the animal and the people who may respond. The goal is to preserve a calm scene until trained personnel decide whether intervention is necessary.
What if you are outside the United States?
The numbers above are U.S. regional contacts, not an international directory. The appropriate service outside the United States depends on the country and locality. Contact the local wildlife authority or marine-mammal stranding network for the place where you found the animal, and follow that authority’s distance and reporting instructions. The U.S. sources do not establish one worldwide hotline.
Quick Recap
A quick decision guide
- See a live seal or sea lion on shore. Move people and pets away and do not approach. If it appears to be simply resting, monitor from a distance and consult the regional guidance.
- See injury, illness, entanglement, apparent stranding, or a dead animal. Call the NOAA hotline for the location immediately.
- Do not know the species or whether it is truly in distress. Report what you can see and let trained staff advise you.
- Cannot safely reach the site or make a call. Stay away, explain the hazard, and use the Dolphin & Whale 911 app on an Apple device when available along a U.S. coast.
- Are told that a response is not possible. Do not handle the animal; continue to keep people and pets away and follow the network’s instructions.
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