About OSPR
Scientific Branch
Marine Wildlife Veterinary Care & Research Center

The California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR) Marine Wildlife Veterinary Care and Research Center (MWVCRC) is a 20,000 sq.ft. facility designed to care for oiled wildlife in the event of an oil spill. The MWVCRC was specifically built within the range of the southern sea otter and is capable of caring for 125 sea otters, but flexible enough to care for other species of marine animals as well.

The MWVCRC's oiled animal care wing is equipped with an avian and marine mammal clinic, nursery, and triage; a surgical suite; washing, drying, and recovery rooms as well. The center's laboratory services wing houses an animal food preparation kitchen. The out door pool yard is equipped with five pools and 40 two-otter pool pens serviced by a sea water pumping, disinfection and filtration system. The center is also equipped with a full pathology suite and evidence storage freezer. 

The MWVCRC was designed to care for marine wildlife affected by an oil spill and is not equipped or staffed to care for sick and injured marine mammals during non spill times. To report a stranded marine mammal see the "Strandings" page.

When not being used as an oiled wildlife care facility, The MWVCRC serves as a center for sea otter and marine wildlife health research in partnership with U.C. Santa Cruz and other cooperators. This research includes:

• Field-based studies on sea otter population dynamics, ecology, and habitat
• Studies of the basic physiology of captive otters and other coastal animals
• Toxicological studies on the effects of oil and synergistic toxicants on marine animals
• Studies of the epidemiology of anthoropogenic diseases and "pathogen pollution".

Scientists from both U.C. Santa Cruz and CDFG, OSPR have worked with sea otters, both in California and in Alaska, following the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989. Click here for more information on our sea otter research.

Development of the Center has been a cooperative effort between the OSPR, University of California, Santa Cruz, and the University of California, Davis Wildlife Health Center.