It is official: harbor seal pupping season is now underway in the inside waters of South Puget Sound. A lanugo pup was reported in the Gig Harbor area, but sadly had to be euthanized today. The long, wavy white lanugo coat is usually shed in the womb and often indicates a premature birth. It is not known whether the presence of so many people around this pup caused abandonment by the mom or if there was another cause. Please remember to STAY AWAY from any pup resting on shore, keep dogs leashed at all times on or near the beach and call the stranding network for the area. Click the links for a map of stranding networks in the Pacific Northwest: Washington map | Oregon map

Yesterday afternoon Seal Sitters responded to a report from a kayaker of a woman harassing a seal at Constellation Park. He warned the woman, who was trying to force the seal back into the water, to stop and get back. Our responder was on the scene within minutes, finding an adult seal alone at the water’s edge. It was obvious that the seal had serious health issues. Shortly after consulting by phone with WA Department of Fish and Wildlife’s marine mammal biologist, the female seal died. Volunteers carried the 125 lb body across the long stretch of beach up into the woody debris. Since the biologist would not be able to pick the animal up for necropsy until this morning, the seal was packed in ice and volunteers built a small shelter of wood to keep the blistering sun at bay.

The seal was picked up this morning and taken for necropsy by WDFW. This evening we received the sad news from biologist Dyanna Lambourn that the small female, estimated to around 4-6 years old, was postpartum, having given birth about two days ago. It is most likely the cause of death was an infected uterus; however, sterile brain tissue samples were sent to Washington DC for tests.

It is conceivable the female gave birth somewhere in West Seattle or nearby. We are asking all waterfront property owners and those who walk along the beach to please be on the alert for a newborn pup. A pup can live for about a week and a half without nourishment from the mother. Call Seal Sitters hotline @ 206-905-7325 (SEAL) immediately if you see any marine mammal, dead or alive, on shore.

We still have a number of weaned pups using Lincoln Park and the Alki platforms (as well as a very chubby yearling at Constellation Park on Sunday), so a pup you see may not necessarily be a newborn or recently weaned pup from this 2013 season. Please, however, call us asap regarding any pups you see on the beach, staying well back so as not to cause the animal stress.

Tags: lanugo

Harbor seal pupping season is currently underway along the coast of Washington and Oregon. Pups are born a bit earlier in Oregon than in Washington; however, we have reports that several pups have already been born along our southern Washington coast. Shown at right is a seal pup with a lanugo coat (wavy white fur usually shed in the womb) and a remnant of the umbilicus cord. This is a reminder to be alert if you are strolling along ocean beaches. If you come across a pup, please stay back and observe quietly from a distance.

It is normal for a seal pup to be alone on the beach. Occasionally a mother harbor seal will leave her pup to rest while she forages for food, returning to nurse him. If there are people and dogs too close, she may abandon the pup. Most times, however, the pup will accompany mom to learn how to forage. Once pups are weaned at 4-6 weeks, they will be all on their own, using shoreline daily to rest and warm up before returning to the water. Seals of all ages rest on shore about 50% of their day. Undisturbed, stress-free rest is crucial to their survival.

Seal pupping season begins in South Puget Sound in late-June, extending into September. As pups are weaned in our area rookeries, they venture off to surrounding areas. West Seattle’s busiest months for newly weaned seal pups are September and October. For a map showing pupping seasons in the various regions of Washington state, click here.

Click the links for a map of stranding networks in the Pacific Northwest: Washington map | Oregon map

Tags: seal pupping season, lanugo

We’re excited to report that harbor seal pupping season is now officially underway in South Puget Sound rookeries with the birth of 4 pups as of yesterday. Washington Dept of Fish and Wildlife has installed a “seal cam” at one of the island rookeries. You can observe life in a rookery real time - and you might even get lucky enough to witness a birth!

There was also a report of a partial lanugo pup on the beach in Edmonds. A lanugo coat, long and fluffy white fur, is usually shed in the womb of the mother seal. Sometimes, though, when a pup is born a bit prematurely, the coat will still be on the newborn. This coat is quickly shed and replaced by a new coat. Sadly, a lanugo pup has less chance of survival than a full-term pup. A pup’s best chance is with an attentive mom, nursing on her rich (50% fat) milk. If you come upon a seal pup, please stay back and notify the stranding network. Most likely mom is around, but volunteers will monitor the pup and keep him safe from people and dogs.

Make sure you check the blog frequently for “pupdates”. News on the beach should start picking up soon, after a welcome break from our very busy off-season with many weaned pups sticking around West Seattle. Seal Sitters will be assimilating new volunteers during the season by offering a few smaller scale training sessions, on the beach and in meet-ups. If you are interested in volunteering, please email us.

Tags: lanugo

Many of our new volunteers as well as the public are probably wondering where the seal pups are and why we haven’t seen any yet in West Seattle. This is prime time for pups to be born in the rookeries, so a little bit early still for pups to hit our shores. Most seasons, pups have begun to arrive mid-August. This year, however, the south end of Puget Sound has already had many reports of pups on shore and too many cases of human interference. Many of the pups have been born prematurely like the lanugo pup shown here.

Since both pups and adult seals follow the food source it is hard to say when they might arrive. They could fool us and be a little early this year based on so much activity in the south end. So, keep your binoculars handy when you’re out walking the beaches. And don’t forget to give Seal Sitters’ dispatch a call if you spot a pup.

Tags: lanugo

Our seal pup birthing season has begun in South and Central Puget Sound. Typically, pups born in the rookeries won’t visit our urban Seattle shores for about a month or so. However, there have already been premature and full-term pups on beaches from Everett to Tacoma. Sadly, there have also been illegal pickups of some of those pups. A premature pup is often distinguished by a long, white lanugo coat that is usually shed inside the womb. A premature pup already has a reduced chance of surviving - one that is diminished even more if people interfere. Please spread the word that it is against the law to pick up a seal pup. Their best chance to survive is with their mom. Do not move them! If you see a pup alone on the beach, call the NOAA Stranding Hotline 1-800-853-1964 or (in West Seattle) Seal Sitters 206-905-SEAL (7325).

Tags: lanugo