The first two harbour seal pups admitted to the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society (VAMMR) this season have returned last week to the ocean in Haida Gwaii. Sdlaana and Jimmy Two-Shoes were released by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Fishery Officers after completing their rehabilitation at VAMMR’s Rescue Centre in Vancouver.
Sdlaana was the first harbour seal pup admitted to the Rescue Centre this season. He was found emaciated at 7.7 kilograms and alone beneath a BC Ferries ramp in Skidegate, Haida Gwaii, and arrived at the Rescue Centre on May 19 in critical condition. Believed to be less than five days old, getting Sdlaana to specialized care involved local trained volunteers, DFO and Pacific Coastal Airlines, which transported him to Vancouver for urgent veterinary treatment.
Named Sdlaana, meaning “survivor” in the Haida language, he recovered through weeks of specialized care before being cleared to return to the ocean. At the time of his release, he weighed 25.1 kilograms.
Jimmy Two-Shoes was found near a breakwater in the Prince Rupert area after being observed alone for several days. A DFO Fishery Officer collected the young pup and helped coordinate his transport to the Rescue Centre. With remnants of his umbilical cord still present, Jimmy was also a very young pup when he was rescued. He was admitted to the Rescue Centre on May 29, weighing 8.4 kilograms. By the time he was cleared for release, he weighed over 22 kilograms.
The successful return of Sdlaana and Jimmy Two-Shoes reflects the network of people involved in marine mammal response across British Columbia, from community members who first report animals in distress to DFO and Marine Mammal Response Program, transportation partners, trained volunteers and donors who support VAMMR’s rescue and rehabilitation work.
Before a harbour seal is cleared for release, VAMMR’s veterinary and animal care teams assess their health, body condition and ability to forage independently to determine whether it is ready to survive on its own.
With harbour seal pup season still underway, members of the public may encounter pups resting alone on shore. A pup found alone is not necessarily abandoned, as mothers will leave their pups on shore while they forage. Members of the public should keep their distance, keep pets away and never attempt to move, feed or return a pup to the water.
Anyone who encounters a seal pup that appears sick, injured or abandoned should call Fisheries and Ocean’s Observe, Record, Report/Marine Mammal Incident Hotline at 1-800-465-4336 or VAMMR’s Marine Mammal Rescue Hotline at 604-258-SEAL (7325).
VAMMR is an independent registered charity and operates Canada’s only dedicated marine mammal rescue facility.