The 2018 harbor seal pupping season is off to a remarkable start in West Seattle. Following up on a call about two seals resting on a rock just offshore at a popular beach, Seal Sitters First Responder Dana was surprised and delighted to see a mom and her pup soaking up some midday sunshine - what a treat for our first pup response of the season.

It is a rarity to see a mom and pup onshore during daylight hours along our busy urban shoreline. In fact, only a couple of times over Seal Sitters’ past dozen years have nursing pairs been seen - and always on offshore rafts for an easy escape into Puget Sound. Adult seals, especially mothers with offspring, are extremely wary of human activity.

Dana politely moved a crowd of people, including someone with an off leash dog, back and away from the seals. Seal Sitters volunteers designated an expansive stretch of closed beach around the two so they could rest relatively stress free. The public was extremely cooperative and understanding when informed that a seal mom might abandon her pup if she perceives a threat from humans and dogs. A nursing-age abandoned pup cannot survive without her.

Nicknamed Pearl (mom) and Jam (pup), the beautifully marked seals entertained passersby and beachcombers for several hours, as ferries passed back and forth between Seattle and the Kitsap Peninsula. Eventually, the incoming tide swept over their rocky perch and they returned to the Sound. Little Jam, estimated to be about two weeks old based on body weight of both the pup and mom, struggled to get back up on other rocks so they drifted peacefully in the flat, gray water.

Harbor seal moms typically nurse their young for 4 - 6 weeks, depending on their fat resources. Once pups are weaned, they are completely on their own. Having lost approximately half their body weight while nursing, mom must then concentrate solely on restoring her health. Pups often continue to beg for a full two weeks afterwards. Typically the busiest months for newly weaned seal pups in our area of Central Puget Sound are September and October.

If you see Pearl-Jam (or any other seal), resting on or off shore - or trying to haul out - please stay far back and call Seal Sitters Hotline @ 206-905- SEAL. It would be a tragedy if Jam is abandoned due to human interference.

Tags: Pearl-Jam

Make a difference for wildlife and join Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network (SSMMSN). Volunteers are vital for the protection of seal pups and other marine mammals. For over a decade, Seal Sitters has not only kept marine mammals safe, we have also provided valuable education about marine life and our fragile marine ecosystem to local residents and visitors from around the world.


NEW VOLUNTEER TRAINING SUMMER SESSION: SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 2018 (rsvp required - see below)
Seal Sitters MMSN holds several special trainings a year for those wanting to protect marine mammals along the shoreline of West Seattle and the Duwamish River.

The height of harbor seal pupping season in Central and South Puget Sound is September and October. Due to time constraints on volunteers, this will likely be the final training session of 2018.

IF YOU DON’T LIVE IN WEST SEATTLE - Every marine mammal stranding network requires their own unique training. Attending a Seal Sitters MMSN training does not qualify you to volunteer for networks in a differing location. We are a very active network and have volunteers who travel from around the area to participate. However, if you live out of the West Seattle area and would like to find a stranding network closer to where you live, click here.

Unlike most marine mammal stranding networks with geographical challenges, we encourage children to participate in Seal Sitters - supervised at all times, of course, by a parent or guardian. We are so proud of our amazing and dedicated volunteers who are on duty rain or shine - we hope you will join us!

A multi-media presentation will illustrate our educational work in the community and the unique challenges of protecting seals and other marine mammals in an urban environment. Included in the training is an overview of NOAA's West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network and protocol. While SSMMSN responds to reports of ALL marine mammals (such as the stranding of a juvenile humpback whale) this training centers on the biology and behavior of local pinnipeds which comprise the majority of our responses.

WHEN:
SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 2018
TIME:
10am-12:00 pm (there will be a short break and followup Q&A period)
Doors open at 9:30am, training starts promptly at 10.
*please arrive early to receive paperwork

WHERE:
ALKI UCC (*there is no church affiliation with Seal Sitters MMSN)
front meeting room
6115 SW Hinds St
West Seattle (map it here)

RSVP required to attend.
If you plan on attending, an RSVP is required. Please include in your email the full names of everyone who will be coming. If any of these are minors, include their ages. Seating is limited, so be sure to register early to reserve your place.
CLICK HERE TO RSVP

*PARENTS PLEASE NOTE: all children in attendance must be able to sit quietly through an approximate 2 hour training session with a short break.

For additional questions and info or to be placed on a contact list for future training opportunities, please email us.

Tags: training