Beloved northern elephant seal gives birth to first pup at Washington bay, officials say
A northern elephant seal gave birth to its first child at a Washington bay, park officials said.
The mother is part of a small family of seals that are known to residents from Whidbey and Fidalgo islands, Washington State Parks said in a news release on Feb. 4
The pup was born on Jan. 31 and park officials said people are eager to see the seals.
“It’s going to be hard to reduce the excitement,” Parks Interpreter Joy Kacoroski said in the release. “We’re expecting crowds this weekend.”
But visitors will run into some roadblocks at Deception Pass State Park, particularly near Bowman Bay where the pup was born, the release says.
Park officials closed the boat launch around the bay to all visitors and the day-use area to pets. The Rosario Head and Lighthouse Point trails will have some detours.
“These measures will give the pup room to nurse, lower its chances of imprinting on humans and preserve its habitat until it is weaned,” the news release states.
The pup’s 4-year-old mother has became habituated to humans and park officials want the pup to stay wild, a spokesperson for Washington State Parks told McClatchy News.
The pup will spend 24 to 28 days nursing and can weigh anywhere from 30 to 80 pounds at birth. Their weight quadruples in a month, according to the release.
Once the pup stops nursing, its mother leaves.
Parks Stewardship Program Manager Lisa Lantz wants to remind people to not worry if a pup is found alone on a beach.
“The mother may be coming back, or the pup may have become independent,” Lantz said in the release. “The key is not to ascribe human qualities to a wild animal.”
The seals are found in northern parts of the Pacific Ocean, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Male northern elephant seals are known for their large “inflatable” noses, similar to an elephant’s trunk. They use their noses during their breeding seasons to make loud noises to threaten others.
“They are the second largest seal in the world, after the southern elephant seal,” according to ElephantSeal.org.
This story was originally published February 4, 2022 at 12:50 PM with the headline "Beloved northern elephant seal gives birth to first pup at Washington bay, officials say."
