Nursing-age seal pup

Aug 29

Urgent calls came on Sunday August 9 reporting a harbor seal hauled out at Lincoln Park’s north beach in West Seattle. Hotline Operator Dana knew that the nice weekend weather would draw crowds to the popular beach trail and despite the early hour, Dana alerted First Responder Lynn.

Three callers had already reported the seal to the hotline– the last observer watched the pup crawling even closer to the sidewalk. At 7 AM, FR Lynn found a tiny pup high on the beach. She marked off the site, asked approaching dog walkers to move their pets off the beach, and contacted Volunteer Scheduler Melissa I.

Seal Sitters volunteers arrived to help seal pup “Squish.” They answered questions from passers-by, scanned the water for the mother seal, kept watch on the perimeter, and monitored the pup’s condition.

*Volunteer Melissa I talking with Lincoln Park visitors*

Quickly the first responders determined that Squish was a nursing-age pup. Her umbilical site was still visible. She was heard vocalizing in an attempt to call her mother but no attending female seal was seen swimming nearby.

With a growing crowd of onlookers only 30 feet away, Squish was vulnerable to human interaction. Seal Sitters responders captured and transported Squish to stranding network partner SR3’s marine wildlife hospital in Des Moines.

SR3’s veterinary staff found Squish was indeed prematurely separated from mom. She was suffering from dehydration and a mild infection but was responding well to treatment at last report on August 25,