After responses to several dead newborn seal pups and a harbor porpoise calf over the past weeks, Seal Sitters MMSN First Responders have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of our first live pup of the 2021 season.

That day finally arrived on Thursday. Around 1:30 in the afternoon, Seal Sitters Hotline Operator Nanda fielded a report of a seal pup onshore at Lincoln Park near Colman Pool. She relayed the info to First Responders Suzanne and Dave and off they headed to investigate. While Dave parked the car, Suzanne made her way down the beach just in time to see the pup get jostled by a large wave and swim off into Puget Sound.

Suzanne’s brief glimpse and subsequent chat with the reporting party and daughter, who had been sitting quietly watching seal, determined that it appeared healthy and alert, with no apparent injuries nor signs signs of trouble breathing. They had kept people away from the seal and had even established a small boundary with logs. Suzanne did explain to them that they had been sitting much too close, but complimented them on being so helpful and for calling our hotline.

Later in the afternoon, the hotline received a second report of a seal on the Lincoln Park beach, but a bit further south. When First Responder Lynn got to the site around 3pm, a film crew working in front of the picnic shelters directed her to the tiny seal, sleeping nestled alongside the driftwood (photo above). The pup’s spotted coat provided incredible camouflage on the pebbled beach. Seal Sitters Scheduler Abigail called volunteers Brittany, Cathy, Jill and Irene, who arrived in shifts and were kept busy pointing the pup out to the many beachgoers, answering questions, tweaking the yellow perimeter tape and keeping an eye on unleashed dogs. Brittany (shown below in blue volunteer vest) named the pup Xico - pronounced Chico.

Xico went into the water at 8:15p, straight towards the sun setting over the Olympics and the end to a perfect day at the beach. Many thanks to all the first responders and volunteers who kept Xico safe over the course of a long day.

How thrilling to have a beautiful new seal pup to protect! We’ve all missed the camaraderie of hanging out with fellow volunteers and the public. Please, if you see a seal - or other marine mammal - on the beach, call Seal Sitters Hotline asap @ 206-905-7325 (SEAL). And for the safety of all wildlife, respect that dogs (leashed or unleashed) are not allowed on public beaches.

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