Seal and a sea lion onshore makes for a busy day
Oct/26/18 02:21 PM
Seal Sitters hotline starting ringing this morning with multiple reports of a seal or possible sea lion at Alki Beach. Hotline Operator Susan immediately notified First Responder Jimi who met Co-Investigators Lynn and Robin at the site, but the animal was gone. A Seattle Parks gardener had done her best to keep people away. A cellphone photo texted to Lynn verified that it was indeed a California sea lion that had come ashore twice, but did not stay long and seemed to have some difficulty with mobility.
It is not typical behavior for an adult California sea lion to be on the beach in West Seattle and usually means the animal has an illness or injury. Please immediately call Seal Sitters Hotline @ 206-905-7325 (SEAL) if you see a sea lion onshore.
The hotline rang with another call: there was a seal at a small pocket beach along Beach Drive. First Responder Jimi rushed to check on the seal. Robin was already there and identified the small, fluffy harbor seal, snoozing on the pebbled beach, as Harlequin. While the responders were taping off access with informational signage and tape, Scheduler Colette lined up volunteers to talk to passersby on the busy sidewalk above the beach.
There was some concern that a bloody umbilicus might be infected. However, there was no swelling or apparent signs of infection and appears that a navel scab (seen the day before) had scraped off as Harlequin came ashore. Harlequin returned to the water around 2pm.
It is not typical behavior for an adult California sea lion to be on the beach in West Seattle and usually means the animal has an illness or injury. Please immediately call Seal Sitters Hotline @ 206-905-7325 (SEAL) if you see a sea lion onshore.
The hotline rang with another call: there was a seal at a small pocket beach along Beach Drive. First Responder Jimi rushed to check on the seal. Robin was already there and identified the small, fluffy harbor seal, snoozing on the pebbled beach, as Harlequin. While the responders were taping off access with informational signage and tape, Scheduler Colette lined up volunteers to talk to passersby on the busy sidewalk above the beach. There was some concern that a bloody umbilicus might be infected. However, there was no swelling or apparent signs of infection and appears that a navel scab (seen the day before) had scraped off as Harlequin came ashore. Harlequin returned to the water around 2pm.
