Peter Wallerstein first coordinated international whale protection campaigns in the icy and treacherous waters of the Bering Sea and North Atlantic Ocean. Since that time, he has facilitated over 6,500 rescues of marine animals, including a host of endangered species from Leatherback Turtles to Guadalupe fur seals. Peter has had persistent creativity in devising hands-on safe and effective techniques to rescue these animals, and his quick on-site response time in emergency situations overcame the objections of county and city officials. In 1985, Peter founded the Whale Rescue Team to establish a local skilled response capability for whales in Southern California. As director of the organization, Peter established a live 24-hour toll-free hotline for reporting marine animals trapped or in distress. Peter’s passion for rescuing whales naturally carried over to all marine wildlife that were sick or injured. In 2007, Whale Rescue Team was renamed Marine Animal Rescue to better reflect his organization’s efforts. In this episode, Peter tells us about his first marine rescue, how often he gets a call, the things he has seen, what he has learned and so much more! For more information, you can visit the Marine Animal Rescue, http://www.marspecialists.org/
