Thank You, Mike Harris

After more than three decades of dedicated service to California’s wildlife, Mike Harris has retired from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response (CDFW-OSPR), leaving behind an extraordinary legacy.

As a Senior Environmental Scientist managing the sea otter field research program for the Marine Wildlife Veterinary Care and Research Center (MWVCRC), Mike has been a cornerstone of California sea otter conservation since 1991. Throughout his career, he helped monitor the state’s recovering sea otter population while advancing research that has informed marine ecosystem health, wildlife management, and conservation efforts.

For those within the Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN), Mike’s impact extends far beyond sea otter research. Mike brought exceptional field expertise and a calm, thoughtful approach to numerous spill responses that included some of the most challenging conditions responders face. Whether orchestrating wildlife recovery across boats, navigating vessels through difficult marine environments, or expounding on otter natural history and anatomy, Mike modeled a professional, deliberate demeanor that greatly benefitted the well-being and sustainability of his co-responders.

In more recent responses, Mike became an invaluable mentor to OWCN responders, generously sharing decades of practical knowledge and helping strengthen the next generation of field specialists. Whether teaching wildlife capture techniques, demonstrating safe and effective boat operations, or simply leading by example, he approached every opportunity with patience and a willingness to help others grow.

As OWCN Logistics Specialist Danny Vickers reflected, “As someone who joined the Network in 2022, I quickly learned there are a few names everyone knows – and Mike Harris is certainly one of them.” Having worked alongside Mike during sea otter captures, oiled wildlife trainings, and spill responses, Danny describes him as someone who always took the time to share his knowledge, setting an example through his leadership, exceptional boat handling, and remarkable animal capture expertise.

Mike’s collaborative spirit has also shaped partnerships across agencies and organizations. Over the years, he became one of those people the OWCN could always count on, whether leading field recovery operations during large-scale oil spills, contributing to research efforts, or stepping in wherever his expertise was needed.

Former OWCN Director and current Head of Global Operations Dr. Mike Ziccardi perhaps summed Mike (Harris) up best: “When I think of Mike, the one word that comes to mind is constant.” While Mike’s passion has always been the hands-on work of recovering wildlife, his steady presence, quiet leadership, and unwavering willingness to help made him someone colleagues consistently trusted when the stakes were highest.

While Mike’s retirement marks the close of an incredible career with CDFW-OSPR, the knowledge he has shared, the wildlife he has helped protect, and the people he has mentored will continue to influence California’s wildlife conservation and oiled wildlife response efforts for years to come.

From all of us at the Oiled Wildlife Care Network, thank you Mike for your decades of service, your generosity as a mentor, and your unwavering commitment to California’s wildlife. Congratulations on a well-earned retirement!