Tag archives: Channel Islands Marine & Wildlife Institute

Plenty of local folks probably aren’t aware of CIMWI, let alone what the acronym stands for – Channel Islands Marine & Wildlife Institute – despite the local 501(c)(3) nonprofit’s primary mission of helping a significant subset of (mostly) cute critters that call our local waters home. It’s partly understandable. It’s not all that likely, after […]

Domoic Acid Crisis Drives Sea Lion and Dolphin Deaths: Local Organization Rescues Record-Breaking 85 Sea Lions in June In the early hours of a Saturday morning on Butterfly Beach, a small crowd gathers. The focus of their attention is brown, unmoving, and looks to be a large rock or piece of driftwood. But closer inspection […]

Sea lion population numbers are stable after more than 50 years of federal protection. But with the combination of more frequent and escalating algae blooms, and so many pregnant animals and their newborn pups being affected, it’s up for debate as to whether that will continue. “It’s a big question whether the population numbers will […]