Necropsy results in for Twiggy
Oct/07/10 07:03 AM
Seal Sitters has received information regarding the necropsy results for seal pup, Twiggy, who hauled out on the south end of Alki Beach late last week. She had an abnormal liver, enlarged gall bladder and bleeding into the gastrointestinal tract. This is the third pup that SS knows of recently that has exhibited an enlarged gall bladder - the pup taken from a beach on the coast that was rehabbed successfully at PAWS, Storm who was rescued from Lincoln Park on Labor Day (and who is doing quite well at PAWS), and now this pup. Biologists do not know the root cause for this condition. Additionally, this is not the first pup that has had an abnormal liver; Twiggy’s liver was an orangish color and other dead pups have had “day-glo” orange livers according to WDFW’s marine mammal biologist. Histopaths thus far have revealed no conclusive cause for the unusual coloration.
Another pup was found dead early yesterday morning at Duwamish Head and was taken to WDFW Marine Mammal Investigations for a necropsy. This is the same pup that volunteers observed til very late the night before at the north end of Alki Beach. The pup was alert and active and there was no obvious cause for concern at that time. The pup slept comfortably among the rocks on the beach. There is a 50% mortality rate for seal pups during their first year of life. The weaning period is an extremely difficult transition for pups.
Another pup was found dead early yesterday morning at Duwamish Head and was taken to WDFW Marine Mammal Investigations for a necropsy. This is the same pup that volunteers observed til very late the night before at the north end of Alki Beach. The pup was alert and active and there was no obvious cause for concern at that time. The pup slept comfortably among the rocks on the beach. There is a 50% mortality rate for seal pups during their first year of life. The weaning period is an extremely difficult transition for pups.
