FAQs
(Frequently Asked Questions)
Curious to learn more?
Here are answers to the most common questions our volunteers are asked about seals and other marine mammals.
Photo credit, above: David Hutchinson
Harbor Seal Pups
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Pups rest on beaches to conserve energy and warm up out of the cold Pacific Northwest waters. They can be found sleeping on beaches and craggy shorelines, often alone for long periods.
Young seal pups are extremely vulnerable and need our protection. The best way to do that is to give them space to reduce stress and let them rest.
Many factors affect how long a pup stays on shore (or "hauls out"), including weather conditions, human disturbance, tides, and the animal's health. We've observed seals resting on shore for just a few minutes to several hours. -
We are observing the pup to monitor their condition and overall health. It is normal for a seal pup to be alone on the beach for short periods of time to rest.
If it is a a very young pup’s, its best chance of survival is with mom. So as long as the pup appears healthy, we will monitor to see if the mom returns.
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Pups are weaned early, at 4-6 weeks old, so we generally don’t know if a pup is still with its mom. If it is still nursing, mom may not return if there is too much disturbance (noise, dogs, people), and the pup cannot survive on its own. This is one reason why we ask visitors to keep their distance.
If the pup is weaned, they are on their own to forage for food, which is especially hard for new weaners. They need to be able to rest on shore, which also helps them regulate their body temperature.
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It's difficult to determine a pup's exact age. Pupping season is usually from June to October, and if we see an umbilical cord still attached, we know they're around 7-10 days old (when the cord typically falls off). Newborn pups weigh about 20 pounds.
In the Fall/Winter (November-February), pups are generally assumed to be weaned from their mothers, and could be anywhere from 3-7 months old. -
You actually can't tell a seal pup's sex without a physical examination. Since we want them to rest undisturbed, we let them be and don't determine their sex.
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No, please don't feed seals or any marine mammals - it's harmful and illegal under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which prohibits harassing, disturbing, or feeding any marine mammal.
After pups are weaned from their moms, they can drop weight quickly before they master the art of catching fish, so it’s not unusual to see a thin weaner seal. But even if a pup appears thin, feeding them human food or fish can cause serious digestive problems. It may also interfere with their natural foraging abilities, teaching them to approach humans, which can endanger the seals.
If you're concerned about a pup's condition, please call our hotline at 206-905-SEAL (7325), and our trained responders will assess the situation. -
In our area, harbor seal pups are born from Spring to Fall. A healthy pup weighs 18 – 30 pounds. Full-term pups are able to swim independently at birth. As pups mature to become strong enough to swim, they may be left alone on shore, also called ‘hauling out’.
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Not usually, but if you do you are very lucky! Harbor seal mothers are extremely affectionate with their pups and form a strong bond at birth.
The pup usually accompanies mom on short swims around where they are resting on the beach, also called ‘hauling out’.
They nurse their young both on land and in the water. You may hear a pup calling for their mom that sounds like ‘maaaaa’.
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Unless the pup is injured or visibly sick, we need to observe them first to assess their condition and, if it is very young, see if mom returns. Their best chance of survival is in the wild, especially if they are still with their mother. We only intervene when absolutely necessary for the animal's wellbeing.
Seal Biology & Appearance
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Harbor seals have coats that vary in color, from silver-gray to brown or black, and are typically covered with varying amounts of spots. When wet, they appear very dark in color. These mottled coats provide excellent camouflage on sandy, rocky beaches.
They do not have external ear flaps, so their head appears very smooth, and they have small flippers with a short tail. Unable to rotate their rear flippers, they are awkward on land and bounce along on their bellies. To see a video showing a harbor seal cruising the beach (sometimes called “galumphing”), click here.
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Harbor seals can grow up to 6 feet in length and weigh up to 300 pounds. Males are usually slightly larger than females.
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They can live up to 30 years in the wild. Females typically live longer than males.
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Harbor seals reach sexual maturity between 3-5 years of age.
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Harbor seals give birth to just one pup at a time. They're devoted mothers during the nursing period!
Seal Behavior & Habitat
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Harbor seals spend about half their time on land and half in water. One of the reasons they rest on land is to regulate their body temperature. This is especially critical for growing seal babies. Either warming on cool days, or cooling down on hot ones, you will often see them raise their flippers and tail, called the banana pose.
Harbor seals are usually solitary animals except during breeding season or when hauled out. Once weaned by about 8 weeks, pups form bonds with other young seals for protection from predators and no longer accompany their mothers.
If you're concerned about a pup's condition, please call our hotline at 206-905-SEAL (7325), and our trained responders will assess the situation.
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Unlike sea lions, harbor seals don't migrate. If they're born in our area and find plenty of food, they typically remain within about a 30-mile range for their entire life. They usually rest at special gathering spots called "haulouts" where seals gather in large numbers.
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Adult seals are opportunistic eaters, enjoying more than 60 different species of fish, octopus, and squid. They can dive for over 20 minutes and as deep as 650 feet, though typically they stay in a shallower depth where food is rich.
Seal pups eat a variety of small bait fish, such as gunnel, herring, 3-spined sticklebacks, shiner perch, plus shrimp and squid.
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Transient (marine mammal eating) Orcas are their main natural predators, along with larger seals and sea lions. Resident Orcas mostly eat fish and prefer Chinook (King) salmon, so they are usually not a threat to harbor seals.
In other regions, large sharks can also be predators, though it's not common in our area.
Human-related threats include boat strikes, gunshot, diseases, and environmental toxins. On West Seattle beaches, their most dangerous predators are dogs.
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Harbor seals have fascinating sleep patterns! They can sleep both on land and in water. When sleeping in water, they can enter a state called "logging" where they float at the surface like a log, occasionally opening their eyes to check for predators. They can also sleep underwater, coming up for quick breaths without fully waking.
On land, they typically sleep in a curved position that looks a bit like a banana, often with their head and tail slightly raised. They're light sleepers and will quickly become alert if they sense danger nearby. This is why it's important to keep your distance — your presence might be preventing a tired seal from getting needed rest.
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Harbor seals can hold their breath for about 30-40 minutes. In fact, they can even sleep underwater, coming up for air at regular intervals!
While they can dive as deep as 900 feet, most of their dives are much shallower.
Common Misconceptions
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You're seeing a sea lion, and this is actually completely normal behavior called "sailing", or thermoregulation. Sea lions (not seals) raise their flippers out of water to help regulate their body temperature. Click here to see a picture.
From a distance, this can sometimes be mistaken for an injured animal or even confused with the dorsal fin of a whale. When you see this behavior, the sea lion is simply relaxing and warming up or cooling down as needed - no cause for concern!
If you're ever unsure, please call our hotline at 206-905-SEAL (7325). Our trained volunteers can help identify what you're seeing and determine if any response is needed.
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Those sounds are actually from male sea lions in our area, not harbor seals!
Harbor seals are very quiet, though pups make a sound like "maaaaaaa" before they're weaned, calling for mom to feed them. Those calls can be heard by the mom up to 1 kilometer away.
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The decline in salmon populations is complex and involves many factors, including habitat destruction, overfishing, water pollution, and warming ocean temperatures.
Seals and sea lions eat over 60 different fish species, including fish that eat young salmon! Studies have found that harbor seals consume other types of fish and other sealife much more than they eat salmon.
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Harbor seals are an important part of a healthy marine ecosystem and serve as indicators of ocean health.
While harbor seals are a conservation success story with population numbers recovering from near extinction in the 1960s and 70s (when they were hunted and their habitats degraded), they still face many challenges today, including human-related threats like boat strikes and environmental toxins.
All marine mammals are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. This protection ensures they don't face the kind of population decline they experienced in the past. Giving seals space on our urban beaches helps them rest, raise their young, and maintain healthy population levels despite growing human activity along shorelines.
Additionally, seal pups are particularly vulnerable. Only about 50% survive their first year of life, which is why it's so important to give them the space and protection they need.
Beach Guidelines
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No, please don't approach marine mammals for photos. Federal law requires staying at least 100 yards away.
Even approaching for a quick photo can stress the animal and potentially cause them to abandon their resting spot or, in the case of mothers, their pups. Instead, use a zoom lens or binoculars to observe and photograph these amazing animals from a safe distance.
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While seals and sea lions aren't typically aggressive toward humans, it's still best to keep your distance both on land and in water. These are wild animals that can become stressed or defensive if they feel threatened.
Always maintain at least 100 yards distance, and if you're on a paddleboard or kayak, change your course to give them plenty of space.
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All marine mammals are protected by Federal law under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. NOAA recommends staying back at least 100 yards to avoid disturbing these animals.
Seal Sitters has a federal permit through NOAA to respond to marine mammals on the beach as part of the West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network. We work collaboratively with Seattle Parks to protect marine mammals on public beaches.
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Seals and other marine mammals are protected by Federal law. It's a violation if someone crosses the tape boundary and causes ANY change in the animal's behavior—including waking them from rest.
All violations are reported to NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement, and Seattle Police may be called to respond immediately.
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If you witness someone harassing or disturbing marine mammals, please call the NOAA Fisheries Enforcement Hotline at 1-800-853-1964. If the situation is urgent, you may also contact local law enforcement.
Please do not confront the individual yourself. If possible, document the incident with photos or video from a safe distance without further disturbing the animal.
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The Marine Mammal Stranding Network provides this service at no cost to the community. Our dedicated volunteers donate thousands of hours each year to protect both the public and marine mammals through monitoring and educational outreach. We receive no government funding and depend entirely on donations to continue our work.