Channel Islands Marine and Wildlife Institute (CIMWI)

Welcome to CIMWI

AChannel Islands Marine and Wildlife Institute is a California nonprofit public benefit corporation, 501(c)(3), committed to aiding and rescuing marine animals and wildlife affected by natural and unnatural causes. The organization provides timely, high quality care by trained and experienced marine and wildlife professionals for displaced, injured, sick, orphaned and oiled animals in accordance with federal and state regulations and standards. CIMWI is a member of the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Network, administered by the National Marine Fisheries Service. It is also a member of the California Department of Fish and Game's Oiled Wildlife Care Network, which strives to maintain a constant state of readiness for oil spill response and to ensure wildlife exposed to petroleum products have access to permanent wildlife rehabilitation facilities.

In just the past five years Southern California has seen a dramatic increase in the number of stranded marine mammals, particularly CA sea lions and Common dolphins. In Ventura County alone, the number of sick or injured seals and sea lions reported to the California Marine Mammal Stranding Network jumped from 66 in the year 2000 to 523 in 2003.

In 2005, former Sea World veterinarian and longtime marine mammal researcher, Dr. Samuel Dover, founded Channel Islands Marine and Wildlife Institute (CIMWI) to aid the plight of local marine and terrestrial wildlife through rescue, care and rehabilitation, education and research. Located on the former Vista Del Mar School campus, in the unincorporated area of Santa Barbara County, its combination of classrooms, support buildings and open areas provide ample space for a first-class marine and wildlife treatment and rehabilitation center.

With your assistance, the Institute will meet its goal of raising $100,000 to secure critical equipment and initiate the first phase of facility renovations. These includebuilding animal holding pens, establishing treatment and operating rooms andpurchasing medication and supplies.

What's New at CIMWI:

1) Visit our latest Photo Gallery by clicking here (updated 7/15/06).

2) Download and use the .pdf file of the current CIMWI brochure by clicking here.