You know the term ‘big baby’, but what about a 75-pound newborn that sounds like a velociraptor? Listen in as we chat with The Marine Mammal Center’s own Adam Ratner about one of the biggest shnozs in the sea, the elephant seal!

BIG TAKEAWAY: Given ease of access, animals who habitually raise their young on the beach are inherently targets for human predation; even one of the biggest, boldest creatures in the sea was nearly hunted to extinction. The Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) is one of the elephant seals’ best protections from human interference, but it's in danger of being repealed.
🚨If you live in the US, go to https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/help-save-the-marine-mammal-protection-act for ways to act to protect the MMPA!! 🚨

Resources:
💡Researcher Spotlight: Hearst San Simeon State Park @hearstsansimeonstatepark & Año Nuevo State Park @anonuevosp
🔎Deeper Dive Read: “I Am a Seal: The Life of an Elephant Seal” by Darlene R. Stille
🌊Conservation in Action: The Marine Mammal Center @TheMarineMammalCenter - Live in the SF Bay area? Consider volunteering!
🤙Episode Shoutouts: Free 24-hour livestream of @pointreyesnps (rookery site) linked in bio!
💰Sustainable Brand We Love: @seventhgeneration - for anything you need to clean your home. Ash is obsessed with the lemon dishwasher packs 🍋

Baby seal sounds from Tristan Biological: youtube.com/watch?v=-TITeuzRIeI

Art by Fox and Fish Printing @foxandfishprinting
Music by Garrett Gordon and Steve Colwell of High and Dry @highanddryrock and Low Tide @lowtide.hc

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