The Alaska SeaLife Center has admitted its first stranded animal of 2014: a one week old spotted seal pup rescued from Clark’s Point in Bristol Bay.
After receiving the proper authorization for the rescue from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Alaska SeaLife Center, a local rescued the stranded female pup. Grant Aviation and PenAir provided transportation to Anchorage where SeaLife Center staff received it.
Husbandry Director Brett Long with the SeaLife Center said this is only the third spotted seal rescued since 2007.
Long: “So generally if its a small orphaned, looks like a pup we watch it for a period of hours or tidal exchanges to make sure the mom isn’t just out foraging somewhere. Now with ringed seals or spotted seals which are two of the ice seal species in our state they’re actually not eligible for release if they are rehabilitated outside of their normal geographic range so we knew when we authorized the pickup of this spotted seal that it was already determined to be non-releasable.”
He explained the reason for not releasing them.
Long: “Because no one can guarantee a hundred percent that it won’t pick up some pathogen in Resurrection Bay and then take it back up to Bristol Bay and since it happens so rarely, again only three since 2007, National Marine Fishery Service just believes its a more conservative plan to not release them.”
Long said the SeaLife Center works with the National Marine Fishery Service to help find permanent spots throughout the nation.
Because she is not eligible for release, the female pup is available for the public to see while she is being taken care of at the center. She has not been named.