Yesterday afternoon, a report of a pup on the steps at Alki Beach was phoned in to Seal Sitters hotline. Responders were on the scene within minutes to find a small pup resting just below the promenade across from Cactus restaurant. Volunteers quickly set a perimeter and observed the animal while talking to passersby. The sweet little pup, nicknamed Cookie, rested long enough for people to get a great view and learn a bit about seal behavior and biology. Pups often use the steps as a haul out site when the tide is high and there’s no exposed beach to use.

Two people came up and showed photos taken earlier of the pup coming up the steps. They were worried that there appeared to be a possible wound on the left side (hidden from our view of the resting pup). Indeed the photos raised that possibility. We attempted to get a closer look from the opposite side, but the pup returned to the water minutes later and we could not get a clear shot.

Late that afternoon as darkness fell, Cookie hauled out again at the tideline. In the darkness we could hear the pup coughing and rasping - not a good sign. Almost all pups have some kind of respiratory issues this time of year, some worse than others.

Volunteers were out before sunrise this morning looking for the pup along the promenade, checking each set of steps leading down to the beach. Cookie could not be found. Upon examining our photos, we discovered the pup might have some lacerations. Had photos been downloaded and examined on site, we would have been able to see these possible wounds in the pup’s mottled coat. Due to weight, costly replacement value and challenging conditions, our first responders do not generally take their laptops into the field. An iPad would have enabled us to quickly examine high resolution photos on site and if the pup was indeed wounded, we might have been able to capture the seal pup, do a health assessment and get him medical attention if necessary (though his proximity to the water would have made it difficult). If you have an iPad you would like to donate to our work, please contact us or if you’d like to donate funds to enable us to purchase one, please visit our donation page. We have sent photos to WDFW Marine Mammal Investigations’ biologist to determine if the pups has wounds .

We will be vigilantly looking for Cookie. Please, call our hotline immediately if you see a pup on the beach: 206-905-7325 (SEAL).

PUPDATE 12/24 a.m.
Cookie was found resting on a nearby beach before dawn and returned to the water at daybreak, just as we managed to id him. We have still not been able to determine if the pup is injured, but he seemed to move well across the beach. It is also reassuring that he had no coughing spells today.

Tags: Cookie