Stay clear of seal pups this season

Summer is here, and so is the harbor seal breeding season. Beachgoers are more likely to find apparently stranded or distressed seal pups on the shore, but local experts say to stay away from them.

The Whatcom Marine Mammal Stranding Network (WMMSN) responds to calls about stranded, distressed and deceased marine mammals. WMMSN principal investigator Victoria Souze said anyone who sees a lone seal pup, including kayakers, should stay 100 yards away. Dogs should also be kept away from the pup.

“They do not need attention,” Souze said. “They need to be left alone.”

Seal pupping season occurs June to September in Whatcom County. During pupping season, seal pups are often left alone on the shore in the morning when the beach is empty while mothers go into the water to feed, Souze said. When the mother returns to see a beach full of people, she won’t return to her pup until they’re gone.

Federal law prohibits marine mammal harassment, including touching, feeding or pouring water on marine mammals, according to the WMMSN website.

Souze recommends calling WMMSN any time a pup is alone on a crowded beach.

“If there’s a pup on a crowded beach, we should be called so we can come set up a perimeter and seal sit to keep the public away,” Souze said.

To report a marine mammal in distress, call the Whatcom Humane Society Wildlife Center hotline at 360/966-8845. More information about Whatcom Marine Mammal Stranding Network is available at wmmsn.org.