Early Thursday morning, Seal Sitters’ street banners were hung on lightpoles along Alki Beach. The project was the result of an in-kind grant award from the City of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods and celebrates the arrival of seal pups on our beaches. The banners serve to remind beachgoers that we do indeed need to “share the shore” with these smallest of marine mammals. The banners will be displayed September - October, the height of pupping season in South Puget Sound. Artist Nancy Stahl created this beautiful illustration from a Robin Lindsey photograph of seal pup Shanti, resting at Golden Gardens. Many thanks to Nancy for this stunning banner - and to Seattle’s DON for the award that made this project possible. Additionally, we want to give huge thanks to Seattle Parks for their cooperation and extreme generosity and to banner manufacturer SuperGraphics. (photo courtesy David Hutchinson)

Tags: Shanti, street banners

Seal Sitters volunteers responded to two pups resting on shore today - one in Ballard’s Golden Gardens Park and one on Alki Beach in West Seattle. Our volunteer Bev was walking the beach in Ballard when a beachcomber informed her that there was a pup on the beach. Along with another volunteer, she quickly established a perimeter with Protected Marine Mammal tape to alert the public to his presence. The pup (shown here) had a very healthy body weight for a weaned pup and was quite alert. Nicknamed Shanti, the laid-back pup returned to Puget Sound around 4pm, after working his way across a long stretch of beach at low tide. There were a number of off leash dogs on the beach. Please remember as you walk the beaches of Golden Gardens, keep your dog leashed at all times. Every year dogs cause injuries, often resulting in death, to vulnerable seal pups. Pups need to be able to rest undisturbed in order to maintain the strength to survive winter storms and dwindling food sources. Please give them the space to do so.

The pup on Alki Beach was ensconced behind logs and wood debris on the beach and unnoticed by the few people walking the beach today. This little spotted one, nicknamed Snowflake, snoozed all afternoon, most likely exhausted from spending a long night in the rough waters of Puget Sound. The pup returned to the Sound sometime after dark. We will be on the lookout for both of these pups tomorrow. Please be alert as you walk all beaches and call Seal Sitters if you come across a resting pup or other marine mammal using the shore.

Tags: Shanti, Snowflake