This year’s “El Niño,” the meteorological phenomenon locally associated with high ocean surface temperatures, is predicted to be especially intense for Southern California and beyond. Out in the community, we’ve been asked; what does this mean for CWC and our patients?
he 2026 northern elephant seal pup stranding season has wrapped up. Due to their life history, we expect to see northern elephant seal pups, or weanlings, in need of rehabilitative care during the spring and early summer months in Malibu. This year, the population experienced its first cases of avian influenza. Northern Elephant Seals continue to recover from the near extinction they faced in the early 1900s.
CWC admits over 4,000 patients a year, and whether our patients are with us for days or months, we always make sure they are receiving the best care possible. While some patients can be assessed through routine visual checks, others are more sensitive and benefit from remote monitoring. Our advanced camera system allows our care team to closely observe these patients while minimizing unnecessary stress and handling.
CWC receives over 35,000 calls each year, and many cases end without a rescuer ever entering our facility. A number of these happy stories involve neonate and infant patients, who can often be reunited with a parent by the caring individual who noticed them.
At California Wildlife Center, we care for thousands of injured, orphaned, and sick wild animals each year. Animals are admitted year-round, but there is an influx of patients between March and October, with the majority arriving between March and June. During these months, we take in 30–40 animals daily and respond to over 100 text messages a day, all while balancing the intricate medication and feeding schedules of the animals already in our care.
Throughout the year, each patient that comes through our doors carries a story. Some are straightforward. Others, like one of our Great Horned Owl patients, use every tool, skill, and ounce of creativity our team can offer. This case perfectly illustrates both the complexity of our work and the impact of community support.
This time of year, November through February, is referred to as our slow season, simply because we receive significantly fewer patients daily than we do during the summer months. This slow season, however, has been anything but, as we have admitted an unusually large number of birds of prey in addition to our usual caseload.
In February of 2025, the Marine Mammal Department looked very different than it does today. We were just returning to our hospital after evacuating during the Palisades Fire and had no patients in care.
Mourning Doves forage on the ground for small grains and seeds, much like grazing mammals such as deer and antelope. While such a pastoral life may seem peaceful, it attracts hungry predators.
If you give a squirrel a cookie…Each day we receive a variety of calls and we never know where they might lead. While many make us smile or laugh, some are emotional. These calls remind us that behind every rescue is a person who stopped what they were doing to help an animal in need. That gives us hope.
P.O. Box 2022
Malibu, CA 90265
Hotline Phone: +1 310 458-WILD (9453)
E-mail: admin@cawildlife.org
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