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Rescue & Rehab JournalFemale
CU2301Northern Fur Seal
Callorhinus ursinus
2023
A young Northern fur seal was observed in the harbor in Sitka, AK. This species isn't usually seen in Southeast Alaska, and the seal was behaving abnormally. With permission from The National Marine Fisheries Service and support from partners in Sitka, the seal was sent to ASLC for rehabilitation.
After arriving at ASLC, the fur seal had a thorough vet exam. We learned she is a female, about 5 months old. She is much smaller than she should be at this age - in fact she is the size of a newborn fur seal. She is very weak, and has a heavy parasite load.
Today the fur seal began eating fish on her own! This is a huge milestone, as it suggests she is feeling well enough to want to eat. She is also getting stronger and more energetic every day.
The fur seal has an excellent appetite, and has started to gain weight steadily.
Today staff saw the fur seal sleeping in the water for the first time since she arrived. Northern fur seals are pelagic, meaning they spend most of their lives out at sea. She has finally put on the blubber necessary to keep her warm while sleeping in the water!
Great news! After many rounds of medication to get rid of the nasty worms inside of her, she is offically worm free!
Today, the fur seal was given live fish. She chased, caught, and ate them with impressive speed and efficiency! This is an important milestone, as the ability to hunt for food is imperative for any potential release candidate.
The fur seal has been moved to our largest outdoor rehabilitation pool. She now has over 14,000 gallons of water to explore! With lots of extra swimming space and exposure to the outdoor elements, her success in this pool is the next big step towards a potential release into the true big blue.
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