Early yesterday morning, Seal Sitters volunteers set up a table displaying educational materials at the annual West Seattle Summer Fest.

A colorful “Share the Shore” banner with harbor seal illustration (by talented artist Uko Gorter) and artifacts, including a harbor seal skull, gray whale baleen and luxurious fur seal pelts, caught the attention of passersby, who stopped throughout the day to ask questions.

Many were curious about the work of Seal Sitters and NOAA’s Marine Mammal Stranding Network. Volunteers spread the alert that pupping season is now underway in South and Central Puget Sound, along with a reminder to always stay back from resting seals and to call the stranding network with concerns.

Educating the public about marine mammals and their behavior is key to keeping both the animals and public safe from harm. This type of outreach can help prevent illegal pickups of seal pups, such as the five recent incidents in Oregon and Washington, resulting in the deaths of two pups. All marine mammals are protected from harassment by the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Seal Sitters volunteers engaged a total of 374 adults and children (happy recipients of seal stickers and coloring sheets) - a very successful day of outreach. A special thanks to our volunteers who donated time to educate the public.