Vancouver Aquarium taking care of more seal pups due to human interference

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — The Vancouver Aquarium’s Marine Mammal Rescue Centre says it is overrun with Harbour seal pups because of an increase in “human interference.”

The rescue centre says a general lack of knowledge about seal pupping season, which is currently underway, is leading to people interfering with young seals — doing more harm than good.

Lindsaye Akhurst with the rescue centre says when people see young seals alone, they often assume they need help.

“They’re coming up to the pups, they’re picking them up, they’re placing them in their car, and then calling us to see what to do,” Akhurst said. “We’ve also had people coming along, going close to the animals, taking selfies with the animals and then posting them on their social media channels.

“Obviously, that’s not what we encourage in any sort of way.”

Akhurst says it’s completely normal for Harbour seal pups to be left alone by their mother out on land while she searches and hunts for food.

“Pups do spend four to six weeks with their mum,” said Akhurst. “And then they do basically what’s called a ‘hard wean.’ So at that point, the mum will leave them. But she’s also given them some of the survival skills at that point.”

Akhurst says human interference is impacting the animals’ natural life cycle and chances at release. So far this season, the rescue centre at the Vancouver Aquarium has already admitted 14 pups.

“We get those animals are adorable,” she said. “They look defenceless. But it is a natural process for pups to be left on land while their mom goes out and forages.”

While the Vancouver Aquarium is able to release the pups back into the wild when they are ready, Akhurst says “their best chance of survival is always with mom out in the wild.

“If you are observing a pup that you feel is in need of assistance … call us. Stay back. If you’re at a park where there’s lots of off-leash dogs, try to keep those animals on leashes until we can come down and possibly assess the animal. Mums do leave them. And we want to make sure that if the animal does need to be responded to, that we’re doing it in the proper way.”

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