Hype up for harbor seals!

Harbor seals are the only spotted seals found in California. They’re able to swim at birth, and by the time their mothers teach them how to hunt and dive, they’re masters in the water! They can dive up to over 1,600 feet, holding their breath for almost 30 minutes when they do – no need for a scuba tank when you’re a harbor seal!

Outside of the water, harbor seals will rest on sandy beaches, mudflats, and rocks that become exposed during low tides. When they feel like they’re resting safely, they’ll lift their head and hind flippers into what’s called a “banana pose”, but this is for more than just looking cute: it actually helps regulate their body temperature by keeping their heads and flippers high and dry!

Besides teaching them important life skills like diving and hunting, seal moms also provide nourishing milk to their pups for the first 4-6 weeks of their lives. That’s why it’s so important that these pairs stay together until young seals are ready to spread their wings (or should we say… spread their flippers?!) and head out on their own! Sadly though, this doesn’t always happen. Pups can end up orphaned after big storms, or even after people/dogs on the beach scare away nervous moms – and that can mean big trouble. That’s where you come in!

The Marine Mammal Center helps nurse orphaned harbor seal pups back to health, with the goal of releasing them back into the wild. To do this, the Center treats them in isolated units that protect them from stress (since they’re super vulnerable to this at such a young age). They’re fed milk formula and fish smoothies (yum!) until they can eat whole fish, and eventually they learn to dive and hunt on their own. Once they’re back to full health and have learned these important skills, they’re released back into the wild to live a happy life for years to come!

Head to the Adoptions Section in the Earth Rangers App or visit the Earth Rangers Shop to get your Harbor Seal Adoption Kit and make a difference today!

For more information about the Harbor Seal or to learn more about The Marine Mammal Center’s mission, please visit their website at https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/