| Key Activities | 🛟 Rescue • 🏥 Rehabilitation • 📚 Public Education |
|---|---|
| Location | 3625 Atlantic Brigantine Boulevard, Brigantine, New Jersey 08203, USA |
| Seal Hotline | +1 609-266-0538 |
| Website | https://mmsc.org/ |
| Founded | 1978 |
| Species | harbor seal • grey seal • harp seal • hooded seal |
| Rehab & Release | âś” |
| Sanctuary | âś– |
| Open to Public | âś– (museum only) |
| How to Help | Donate • Adopt • Volunteer |
| Social Media | 
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Marine Mammal Stranding Center (MMSC), located in Brigantine, New Jersey, was founded in 1978 by Robert Schoelkopf and Sheila Dean following his care for a stranded pygmy sperm whale two years earlier. With support from the Oceanic Society, they established what would become New Jersey’s only federally authorized rescue and rehabilitation facility for marine mammals and sea turtles.
Since its founding, MMSC has responded to over 6,300 strandings, including whales, dolphins, seals, and turtles along the state’s coastline. The center’s work ranges from treating malnourished seal pups to disentangling injured dolphins, and even once rehabilitating a runaway sea lion from a U.S. Navy training program – a story that’s become part of local lore.
The facility includes a rehabilitation hospital, stranding response vehicles, and a Sea Life Museum, which features life-size replicas of marine animals and interactive exhibits for visitors of all ages. Educational programs, internships, and public outreach events help raise awareness and support for marine conservation.