Sake was born in 1988 and is an adult female California sea lion that has been with us since she was a year and a half old. She began her career at the University of California Santa Cruz, working with Dr. Zeligs at Long Marine Laboratory. She then transferred to an ocean pen outside of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, lending a helping hand, or rather a flipper, with open-ocean whale research. She now lives at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, at our marine mammal facility with five other sea lions. As well as continuing her various research projects, she is constantly working with us to educate the local public about conservation.
Here at SLEWTHS, students from CSUMB and UCSC, as well as the general public, have the opportunity to work hand-in-flipper with Sake in order to gain a better understanding of conservation and marine mammals. She is a highly trained animal, and probably the best-trained sea lion in the world! She was even the official mascot for the United States at the World’s Fair in Portugal in 1998.
Through this book, written by one of our former volunteers as a senior thesis project and based on the real events of Sake’s life, Sake teaches children some new words, important concepts of ocean conservation, and good recycling habits. This book teaches children how they can help to make a difference saving our oceans and the animals in it, using many beautiful photos from Sake's life and compelling illustrations made by one of our students, Chelsie Newbill. .
Books are $10.00 each (plus S&H), and discounts are available for large orders. All proceeds from the book help support our organization and its animals, as well as keeping our marine education and conservation programs running.