Welcome to the Long Marine Lab Marine Mammal Stranding Network

Our mission is to advance marine mammal science, ocean health, and public understanding through the careful response, recovery, and detailed examination of stranded marine mammals along the central California coast. Based at UC Santa Cruz’s Long Marine Laboratory, our program conducts thorough necropsies and health assessments that help reveal the causes of death, emerging diseases, human impacts, and changing environmental conditions affecting marine wildlife.

For more than 35 years, we have generated high-quality, long-term stranding and pathology data that contribute to the broader marine mammal research community. These findings have supported studies of population trends, ecosystem change, and the health of marine species, while also informing management decisions and conservation efforts.

In partnership with neighboring organizations in the regional stranding network, our work has helped guide improvements in fishing practices and regulations, strengthened understanding of marine mammal disease and mortality, and highlighted the deep connections between ocean health and human health.

Equally important, our program serves as an educational resource—training students, supporting scientific learning, and engaging the public through outreach that fosters stewardship of marine mammals and the coastal ecosystems they depend on.