Jetty Island, a seal paradise, becomes new home for 2 pups
EVERETT — Jetty Island is a seal paradise.
Beaches to laze on, water to swim in, lots of fish to eat.
They’ll make regular appearances at the 10th Street Boat Launch, too, where they hang out on the docks.
Now, two more harbor seals call the man-made, two-mile island home. In September, a crew with PAWS Wildlife Center took a boat out to release two healed seal pups.
Harbor seals are the most common marine mammal in Washington. That means they have plenty of contact with humans. And they’re more graceful in the water than they are the land, so they’re vulnerable to all the dangers of the outside world when they’re on a beach. Sometimes people will disturb the seals, causing the mother to abandon her pups. According to Seal Sitters, a volunteer group dedicated to protecting marine mammals, harbor seal mothers “are very shy and will not return ashore for offspring if they feel it is not safe.” Always observe from a distance, the group says — at least a hundred yards.
“The majority of seals that come into our care is human-caused,” PAWS wildlife naturalist Jeff Brown said.
https://www.heraldnet.com/news/jetty-island-a-seal-paradise-becomes-new-home-for-2-pups/
= new reply since forum marked as read
People suck.
