Celebrating Five Years of SeaLife Rescue
By Rachel Bishop, Development & Communications Officer
Southern Resident killer whales jump out of the water in front of the SR3 Rescue Center. Photo by Andrea Reinicke.
This year’s Earth Day marks the fifth anniversary of the SeaLife Rescue Center! This milestone simply wouldn’t have been possible without the dedicated community that makes this work happen.
A timeline of the Rescue Center, from securing the site in Des Moines, WA to now.
In our last post, we shared three powerful stories of survival from 2025. But those stories are part of something even bigger. Over the past five years, the Rescue Center has transformed what’s possible for marine wildlife in our region. To illustrate just how far we've come together, let's look back even further – to one patient story from each year the Rescue Center has been saving lives.
A map with the rescue locations of five past patients, one from each year the Rescue Center has been open. The darker orange the water is colored along the Washington Coast, the more rescues have occurred in those locations.
Star Patients Throughout the Years
2021: Rainer was the SeaLife Rescue Center’s first patient - a tiny harbor seal pup orphaned after beachgoers got too close, frightening his mother away. After three months of intensive care, he was released back into the wild where his journey began.
2022: Kazoo recovered at the Rescue Center after being freed from an entanglement in the San Juan Islands. As a Guadalupe fur seal, a species listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act, his successful return to the wild was an important step for his at-risk population.
2023: Pickle, a 230-pound elephant seal, arrived at the Rescue Center lethargic and suffering from painful eye and skin conditions. With weeks of dedicated treatment and monitoring, she regained her strength and returned to the ocean.
2024: Mermaid arrived as a newborn with her umbilical cord still attached. Before the Rescue Center opened, pups like her were not considered candidates for rehabilitation. Now, Mermaid and dozens of other newborn harbor seals are getting a second chance.
2025: Ravioli suffered from megaesophagus - a condition once considered fatal in harbor seals. With innovative treatment, she beat the odds and returned to the wild, a breakthrough for future patients facing this diagnosis.
These patients represent just a small part of a much larger story; all of these successes speak volumes about the SR3 community. Since the Rescue Center opened, volunteers have contributed more than 40,000 hours toward protecting marine wildlife – the equivalent of nearly five full-time staff members helping make this level of care possible.
Volunteers, interns, and staff prepare for daily exams on a sunny summer day.
Whether you are a dedicated volunteer, a monthly donor, or someone who helps spread the word about SR3’s mission, your support has brought all of these successes to life.
Because of you, what once seemed impossible is now part of everyday care – and we’re just getting started! Thank you for standing with us and making this milestone celebration possible.