SR3 Sealife Response Rehab and Research

A Season of Change for Harbor Seal Pups — SR3 Sealife Response, Rehabilitation, and Research improving the health of marine wildlife. By Kate Hruby , Communication and Education Coordinator

Animals out in the wild are facing a seasonal transition - pups who survived successfully with their mothers may be facing human-caused threats that leave them in need of care. Read about some of our fall cases at www.sealifer3.org/news/season-of-change

A brown harbor seal pup floats in a teal pool and looks at the camera

A harbor seal pup lounges in a green tub

A harbor seal pup swims in a teal pool and has a green tag on their head

Most of our patients have graduated fish school and are competing for their meals with their fellow seals! This means they just have to reach a release weight of around 50 pounds before they can return to the ocean.

Here we have Paparadelle, Vermicelli, and Udon striking poses.

Fans might also notice a megaesophagus in the first image as well - Linguine was treated for the condition and is feeding well with the rest of the seals!

an x-ray of a torso of a harbor seal with the skin very close to the ribs in the image

an x-ray of a torso of a harbor seal with a blubber layer between the skin and the ribs

Before and after x-rays of Linguine. One of the biggest differences is the thickness of her blubber layer. Image 1 was taken about 3 months ago, when she arrived at the Rescue Center because of maternal abandonment and malnutrition. Image 2 was taken 30 pounds later as she gets closer to release!

a harbor seal rests on an orange float and yawns

two harbor seals resting on an orange float in the ocean

Dragon, the Rescue Center’s first patient in 2024, was seen again in the wild! She hangs out in Seattle, and is our most resighted patient. This time, she was captured on camera by animal husbandry volunteer, Lauren 🐲💙

Many of our early summer maternal abandonment patients are returning to the wild. But even as pupping season begins to wind down, we still need to give marine mammals resting on shorelines plenty of space! Please keep your pets on a leash, and if the animal notices you, you’re too close 👀

four people and a camera person carry a pet carrier down onto the beach

a harbor seal pup slides out of a pet carrier onto the sand

a harbor seal pup rests on the shoreline and looks over her shoulder

a harbor seal pup rests in shallow water with seaweed stuck to her nose

Macaroni is back in the ocean!

First harbor seal release of the season!

Naga is only the third patient we've satellite tagged, and her dataset is the longest so far.

8 Places Naga Visited in the Salish Sea — SR3 Sealife Response, Rehabilitation, and Research improving the health of marine wildlife. By Kate Hruby , Communication and Education Coordinator

After six months of sending location data to satellites, Naga the harbor seal has finally stopped phoning home. But while our insight into Naga’s journey has ended, there’s no hiding the fact that she was a well-traveled seal. Check out her journey at www.sealifer3.org/news/nagas-journey

Cheers to you and to our flippered Fish School graduates - fish mash margarita style!

Thanks to your generous support ($28k of it!), many rescued seal pups now have the chance to eat fish, grow strong, and return to the wild where they belong.

A harbor seal pup surfaces in a pool with a splash and a fish in their mouth

Today’s your last chance to make a splash for hungry seal pups! Your gift will be matched, meaning you can deliver twice the meals for pups learning how to eat fish: sealifer3.donorsupport.co/page/fishdrive

Preparing for the Next Response — SR3 Sealife Response, Rehabilitation, and Research improving the health of marine wildlife. By KC Scofield , Response Program Coordinator

This spring, staff from @thewhalemuseum.bsky.social, Cascadia Research Collective, and SR3 gathered in Olympia to practice whale disentanglement skills. Learn about the training and what it takes to become a responder at www.sealifer3.org/news/preparing-for-the-next-response

Want to cheer these pups on? Sponsor your favorite student’s fish school journey. Just $15 provides a full day of fish school for one hungry seal pup ➡️ sr3.org/?form=fishdrive

👏 to Morgan Lewis, Perkins Coie and more for matching your gifts dollar-for-dollar - up to a total of $16,500!

A harbor seal pup rests on a pillow with their mouth open. Small teeth are visible.

Don’t forget to tune in LIVE on Facebook or Instagram tomorrow, July 24 at 12pm PDT, when class will be in session - and you’ll have a front-row seat!
www.facebook.com/share/1B6WH8...

A harbor seal pup bites down on a fish. Text reads fish drive live 2025

Class is in session at SR3’s Seal Pup Schoolhouse! Join us on 7/24 at 12pm PST on Facebook or Instagram live for a behind-the-scenes look as our youngest patients take on one of their biggest challenges yet: learning how to eat fish.

Two women restrain and measure a fur seal on a table in a medical facility.

SR3 admitted a second Guadalupe fur seal of the year at the end of June. Like the first, this young seal was found severely underweight and dehydrated and is now receiving critical medical care, hydration, and regular feeds to help her regain strength.

Meet the education and outreach team! If you see SR3 in the community, chances are you’ll see one of these folks as well, along with dozens of fantastic volunteers. We can’t wait to chat with you all about the ocean this summer 🌊

📷 Photo above is an aerial image of members of J pod from the endangered population of Southern Resident killer whales off San Juan Island, Washington. Image collected non-invasively using a remotely operated octocopter drone flown at an altitude of > 100 ft under NMFS permit # 22306.

Killer whales swim through a dark teal sea, one with a large dorsal fin swims on its side in the center of the image.

New science report identifies roadmap to aid in the recovery of endangered Southern Resident killer whales: www.raincoast.org/reports/reco...

Give a warm welcome to the Animal Husbandry Interns this year, Lily, Soline, and Caitlin!

Harbor Seal Meals from Formula to Fish — SR3 Sealife Response, Rehabilitation, and Research improving the health of marine wildlife. By Kate Hruby , Communication and Education Coordinator It’s harbor seal pupping season in Washington State, and that means it’s meal time at the SR3 Rescue Center. Four times a day, to be ...

Orzo, Gnocchi, and Macaroni are all at different stages of recovery at the Rescue Center. See what their meals look like at SR3.org/news/harbor-seal-meals.

A harbor seal looks at the camera while it floats in a pool with a fish in their mouth

You can vote for us in Best in the PNW every day for the next week!

Go to votethepnw.com ➡️ Services ➡️ Nonprofit Organization ➡️ look for Sealife Response, Rehab and Research ✅

P.S. the list is not in alphabetical order, but you can also Ctrl F to find "Sealife" in the list!

Key Ways You Can Help Protect Southern Resident Killer Whales - And Why it Matters More than Ever — SR3 Sealife Response, Rehabilitation, and Research improving the health of marine wildlife. by Rachel bishop , development and communications officer June is Orca Action Month here in the Pacific Northwest. Originally established in 2006, this regional movement draws attention to one of ou...

June is Orca Action Month. This movement draws attention to one of our region’s most iconic and endangered species: the Southern Resident killer whale.

Learn about three major threats facing these whales - and how you can help address them - at www.sealifer3.org/news/key-way...

Surprising Visitors: Sea Turtle Strandings in the Pacific Northwest — SR3 Sealife Response, Rehabilitation, and Research improving the health of marine wildlife. By Kate Hruby , Communication and Education Coordinator

It’s world sea turtle day, and to shell-ebrate, let’s talk about sea turtles in the Pacific Northwest ⬇️
www.sealifer3.org/news/sea-tur...

A harbor seal pup floats vertically in a pool

A harbor seal pup is held on his side by animal care staff in blue gloves

Orzo’s not the only harbor seal pup currently in care… meet Gnocchi and Macaroni!

Both pups are cases of maternal abandonment. In order to keep moms and pups together in the wild, please keep your distance from marine mammals resting on beaches and keep your pets on a leash.

A close up image of a harbor seal pup with silver fur resting in a blue tote

You voted: Meet Orzo!

You can help fund Orzo’s care by signing up to make automatic gifts at SR3.org/?form=Wavemakers. Another ocean hero will even match your donations for an entire year! 🌊

Spring Update: Seasonal Health Monitoring of Southern Resident Killer Whales — SR3 Sealife Response, Rehabilitation, and Research improving the health of marine wildlife. By Dr. Holly Fearnbach , Marine Mammal Research Director

SR3 continues to collect important seasonal data on the endangered population of Southern Resident killer whales. This study is now in its 18th year, making it the longest study to quantitatively monitor the health of these whales.
www.sealifer3.org/news/2025-sp....

Join us on June 11 for our last chapter meeting until October. This month, Casey Mclean of SR3 will be presenting "On the Frontlines: Marine Mammal Response and Health Surveillance in a Changing Ocean". Please RSVP here:
www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticket...

A harbor seal with silver fur and dark eyes looks at the camera

Arriving at the Rescue Center on May 18th, this days-old pup marks the start of harbor seal pupping season, and she needs a name!

SR3's naming theme this year is "noodles” 🍝🍜 Cast your vote by the end of May at forms.gle/9muNNGQCSkgW... to help us decide which noodle this pup should be named after!