To report a stranded marine mammal, call Lighthouse Environmental Programs, 679-7391. Any State Patrol officer or other law enforcement official will notify the stranding network. If the animal is alive, people and pets should keep their distance. Matt Klope, a wildlife biologist, said stranded marine mammals can be very dangerous to anything else on the beach. “A 1,200-pound male sea lion can be extremely dangerous,” Klope said. “Even harbor seals pups that look so cute and cuddly have an unbelievable set of teeth.”

To report sightings of live whales, call Orca Network, 678-3451. Go to www.orcanetwork.org for more information on Greenbank-based Orca Network. The Web site has a detailed map of whale sightings, local photos of gray whale feeding pits in the Saratoga Passage as well as links.