The Hide (chat thread)

Seal(s) of the Month - Rescued Once Again!

Our 'Seal of the Month' title is shared by three pups for May, that sadly have had to be re-admitted into our care after initial rescue and rehabilitation last year: Hydra, North Star and Galaxy. All three were healthy and illness-free when initially released, but after spending a matter of months in the wild exposed to poor water quality in coastal waters, they each had to be rescued a second time, and upon intake were found to have heavy parasite burdens which they did not have when they were released.

Seals are considered a 'bioindicator' species because the health of their populations provides valuable insights as to the health of the habitats in which they reside. If we're seeing a lot of sick seals, it could be a warning of a wider environmental issue that impacts more than just seals. By swimming in and eating prey from polluted waters, seals are exposed to toxins and pollutants which bio-accumulate in their bodies and weaken their immune systems. Just like humans, if a seal has a weak immune system, it becomes vulnerable to secondary illnesses which they'd otherwise be able to overcome. Parasites such as lungworm are very normal in seal populations and usually are not bad enough to threaten a healthy animal's survival (much like us if we get a common cold!).

However, the parasite burdens we are currently seeing in seals this year, including the three seal pups who were just released months ago and now back in care, have been extreme compared to previous years, and are bad enough that they could cause death without medical care. Importantly, the seals we rescue represent a small fraction of the wild population, and the reality is most seals are living and dying outside of the scope of what we can see, which makes these case studies very important.

As for Hydra, North Star and Galaxy, we are glad to be able to give them another chance at survival in the wild, and we will keep working towards a brighter future for them and their natural habitat. If you would like to learn about SRI's habitat restoration project, aimed to flight climate change, biodiversity loss and water pollution, please see our website here.