Experts warn beachgoers not to bother seal pups because it can sever bond with parent
With harbor seal pupping season actively occurring along Humboldt and Del Norte county beaches, marine mammal experts are urging the public to give seal pups plenty of space and avoid intervening when they appear alone on the sand.Harbor seal pupping is at its peak in Northern California right now, and beachgoers are likely to see harbor seal pups on shore or on nearshore rocks. In an email, Dawn Goley, a Cal Poly Humboldt professor of zoology, said harbor seal mothers routinely leave their pups on shore or on rocks for hours while they forage offshore.“You may be concerned if you see pups alone on the beach, but that is totally normal! Harbor seal mothers will leave their pups on the shore and forage nearby, sometimes for hours,” said Goley. “They will come back to the exact place the pups were left so it is really important that the pup does not leave the site where it was left!”Goley said it’s common for pups to be left alone for long stretches and that moving them, even slightly from where they were left by their mother, can sever the bond between mother and pup, leading to abandonment.“The best way for people to care for harbor seal pups is to keep a safe distance from them (100 yards) and keep dogs away,” said Goley. “Do not remove them from the beach or move them. Again, if they are moved, they may be abandoned by their mothers.”If you are kayaking in local waters, please maintain a safe distance from harbor seals on nearshore rocks. If the mother can see you standing near the pup, it may prevent her from returning.If you are concerned about a sick, injured or potentially abandoned marine mammal, please reach out to the North Coast Marine Mammal Center 707-951-4722.Read Original Article
