Animal Care & Education Interns

Animal care and education interns serve NMLC in a number of capacities. They assist with our weekly educational programs including the Little Flippers Club and Marine Animal Medical Mystery. Each intern is assigned a week where planning of the programs is their responsibility. They also represent NMLC at community events and deliver marine science programs to local school and community groups on and off site. They are responsible for the upkeep of our popular Critter Tank in the Discovery Center, and for water quality testing for all of our animal tanks. They will participate in hands on animal husbandry and assist in medical care for our current Red Bellied Cooter patients and any patients admitted into our new marine animal hospital this summer. Each intern will select a project to work on throughout the summer and will present the outcome to the staff, volunteers and public in August.

Smanatha Beynor

Samantha grew up on Cape Cod spending much of her time on the beach. After a discovering a stranded porpoise she became very interested in marine animals strandings and rehabilitation.  Samantha is currently completing her Sophomore year at the University of Conneticuit where she is majoring in Biological Science with a minor in Marine Biology.  She ultimately would like to pursue a career in conservation or animal behavior. Samantha’s background includes volunteering with the Cape Wildlife Center and  coaching tennis for the Barnstable Recreation Department. She is looking forward to “working with the National Marine Life Center Staff and other interns to learn more about marine organisms and rehabilitation, to make new friendships and gain experience.”

Dylan O’Leary

Dylan will be graduating from Ithaca College in May with a degree in Biology. Dylan comes to NMLC with a background in research biology. He recently presented his research findings on the Eastern Chipmunk at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research in Utah. He has experience handling wild animals in a research/field setting and teaching experience through coaching soccer. He would ultimately like to work in conservation or restoration biology and is most looking forward to “taking [his] very first step into the world of conservation biology and having the opportunity to devote [himself] to the advancement of marine wildlife health”

Alisia Trevino

Alisia from nearby New Bedford, MA is finishing her Sophmore year at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. She is majoring in  Marine Biology with a minor is education. Her goal is to work as an educator and teach others about the importance of ocean conservation. Alisia is also a graduate of the Bristol County Agricultural School animal science program where she gained hands on experience with many animals including fish and turtles. Alisia is looking forward to her summer at NMLC and “being able to interact with the public and the children that come visit and teaching them something new about marine animals”.

Sophie Trowbridge

Sophie is a recent graduate of Cornell University in Ithaca, NY with a degree in Animal Science.  She comes to us with a diverse animal background including, research, husbandry, rehabilitation, outreach, and veterinary experiences. Some of her most relevant work includes an externship at the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife in Sanibel, FL, and her animal keeper internship  at the Central Park Zoo. Sophie plans to become a veterinarian and intends to start vet school in the fall. Sophie is “looking forward to combining [her] passion for veterinary medicine with educational outreach”. She believes “that successful wildlife rehabilitation and education go hand in hand. The more awareness raised regarding the importance of a diverse ecosystem the more people appreciate how their choices can impact the ecosystem surrounding them”. She is ” excited to take part in this combination of veterinary medicine and outreach and bring [her] passion for science to the cape”.

Marketing/Development Intern

For the first time NMLC has hired a Marketing/Development Intern for the summer. This intern will be helping with our major fundraising events including the Feet Fins & Flippers 5K, the Mermaid Ball, and helping prepare for Spectacle of the Trees. She will also be helping to represent the center at at fairs & festivals, via website blogs, social media, and marketing materials, making sure that you are fully aware of all the great things happening at the National Marine Life Center this summer

Chelsea Clark

Chelsea will be graduating from Bridgewater State University in May with a degree in Communication Studies. She has spent the last semester studying abroad at Bond University in Queensland Australia. Chelsea has been the Producer, Writer, & Host of WBIM the Bridgewater State University radio station, and has experience in audio editing, social media, fundraising, and marketing. She was interested in this particular internship because she loves the ocean and thought it would be a great place to apply her skills. She is looking forward to “learning more about this wonderful organization and being a part of the NMLC team” she is excited to “have the opportunity to expand [her] knowledge of both marketing related jobs and marine animals, which not many internships offer”.

We are so happy to have such enthusiastic young students coming to work and learn with us this summer. Interns play a key role in accomplishing the goals of NMLC during this busy time of year. Please join me in welcoming our 2012 Summer interns!

Pierce and Vesuvius hang out while their tank is being cleaned.

Hey NMLC fans – just when you thought you’d finally gotten rid of me – I’m back for a visit! I’ve missed the NMLC so much the past few months I’ve been back home, that I saved up and got a plane ticket so that I could visit during my spring break. I’ve been out here since Sunday, and having the opportunity to catch up with the staff and the patients here has been no less than rejuvenating. I’ve been keeping really busy around here, and I’d just like to update you a little bit on what’s happening at the Center!

This morning I was able to help out by cleaning the tank of our three not-quite-so-little-anymore rehabilitated hatchlings. You may remember that last summer we took in three little red-bellied cooters, Bruce, Pierce, and Vesuvius, with metabolic bone disease. They had been kept as part of the Hatchling Head Start Program, but unfortunately developed severe shell and bone problems and needed additional treatment. These three turtles are particularly close to my heart because I was there when we got them in and I and the other summer 2011 interns were able to assist our veterinarian, Dr. Rogers, and our Animal Care Coordinator, Kate Shaffer, with their rehabilitation from day one. We set up the tank that they stayed in for the first several months; we were there for the intake exam. We actually were given 4 turtles to care for, but unfortunately, the smallest one was dead on arrival.

At first, it was actually pretty hard to tell if the little guys were alive, because they had such difficulty moving and had absolutely no energy. It seemed unlikely that they would be able to swim with such significant deformities. Luckily, they have surprised us when we tested their swimming abilities. They were much better at swimming than they were at walking – the bones in their legs were so weak that they couldn’t even support themselves to walk. I was able to help out with administering the oral calcium treatments to the turtles each day and assisting with animal veterinary exams and husbandry.

Bruce warming up under the heat lamp.

If you were to come into the Center today, you would see 3 completely different animals. They are voracious, eating 10 leaves of Romaine lettuce a day and swimming with vigor. When I left in August to return to my studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the prognosis for the little guys was still up in the air because they were still calcium deficient and it was unclear how their deformities would respond to the animals’ growth, and if they would be able to pass eggs if they turned out to be female. At this age, it’s not possible to determine the sex of the turtles. Because red-bellied cooters are an endangered species, every individual that we can release into the wild is valuable to the population; however, we don’t want to release turtles that aren’t able to reproduce. It so warms my heart to come back after a few months away to hear that they are scheduled for release this summer! The turtles have finally caught up with their calcium deficiency and are able to maintain acceptable blood calcium levels. They are completely off rehabilitative treatment and are just waiting for it to warm up enough for release. A year’s worth of diligent work and a smidgen of hope and it seems that these guys have made it!

I was also happy to meet our new patients, the class 2012 red-bellied cooter headstart program hatchlings as well as Sir Isaac Newton, our newest shell fungus patient. Otherwise, most of what I’ve been doing this week is enjoying helping out at the Center with odds and ends, cleaning a few tanks, helping out with a couple educational programs, running a few errands, and preparing for the Feet, Fins and Flippers 5K the NMLC is hosting in May (which you should sign up for if you are at all interested! Just click here!)

The NMLC’s CEO and President Kathy Zagzebski and I traveled up to Dartmouth yesterday to speak at the high school Marine Science Symposium, and I really enjoyed speaking to the kids a little bit about the value of internship experience in general and more specifically about what my internship at the NMLC has done for my career. We then did an interactive activity teaching the kids about how to measure sea turtles, seals and cetaceans, and I ran the seal station. While my real passion is sea turtles, my knowledge of seal strandings and biology grew exponentially last summer, and my experience in Dartmouth yesterday proved how much I have learned when I was able to jump right into presenting to students after listening to Kathy’s presentation on the marine animals of Cape Cod and the NMLC’s mission. What I think I liked the most about working at the symposium was talking to a couple students that are really interested in pursuing a career in marine science. I love thinking that just maybe something I said might have impacted someone to get involved or pursue their dream, as difficult as succeeding in this field may seem. (My other favorite thing was probably leading the students in an activity involving the kids carrying Kathy in a dolphin stretcher as part of a rescue training activity!)

I’m so fortunate that my timing allowed me to celebrate some major milestones in the lives of our wonderful staff and volunteers. I’m also excited about the prospect of going to Provincetown to see if we can find some Right Whales, which if you don’t know, just so happen to be the most endangered whale in the world. They are seen in this area feeding this time of year, so maybe they’ll be willing to make an appearance for me!
I can’t say enough how wonderful it’s been to be reunited with my dear friends from the National Marine Life Center this week. I mean it when I say that last summer was the best of my life thus far, and when I’m here, minutes from the ocean and surrounded by like-minded marine animal people, I feel so much closer to my dreams than I have anywhere else. Even just running down to the store to pick up lettuce for the turtles in the NMLC van gave me such a strong feeling of nostalgia, remembering the first summer I got out of my home state and found myself in the unique and wonderful place that is Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and began pursuing a dream that previously seemed so out of reach. The summer I realized that I could get into sea turtle conservation – it just means I have to work harder than the next guy. Thanks so much to the staff and volunteers of the NMLC for welcoming me back and giving me a new surge of inspiration, and of course, thanks again for the life-changing experience last summer. Not only did they take me in and help me grow, but they made me part of the NMLC family during my first extended stay away from home. I can’t thank them enough; they are great people with a great cause. Be on the look out for another blog or two from me before I head back to the Midwest!

A welcome sign hung in the bathroom.

My "Where Am I?" board to help residents find me when I'm needed.

In fact, my residents’ nametags that are hung on the door are an adapted version of the sea turtle craft I used during Fins and Flippers – Sea Turtle Week last July!

Recently, I was awarded the Passive Program of the Series Award as well as the campus-wide February Star Programmer of the Month Award for my educational sea turtle bulletin board that is currently hung in my hallway. This bulletin board covers interesting facts about each species, their geographic range, as well as size charts and a diagram depicting their life cycle.

My award-winning "Sea Turtles" educational bulletin board!

Most of the information I used was taken directly from the blogs that I wrote this summer about sea turtles. It was wonderful to go back and read what I learned during my research this summer.

I also had a great opportunity to partner up with another resident advisor and have a multiple-floor educational event on penguin conservation to celebrate Penguin Awareness Day, which was January 19th.

An advertisement we used to promote Penguin Awareness Day!

This program was very well attended with 35+ residents coming out to celebrate. We had a quiz game with our residents that included information about different species, including diet, range, and natural as well as man-made threats to the penguins.

Resident Ryan Butler celebrating Penguin Awareness Day at our award-winning educational program!

All of our prizes were penguin-related, and the food was loosely penguin-themed as well. This program was also recognized with an Outstanding Active Educational Award.

I intend to continue my environmental education with bulletin boards and/or bathroom posts on the difference between seals and sea lions as well as dolphins and porpoises, the main focus of my summer internship project.

I can’t wait to come back to the National Marine Life Center over spring break to see the progress on the Marine Animal hospital, as well as seeing the progress on the patients I had the opportunity to work with and those patients I haven’t met yet! Watch out Cape Cod, here I come, again!

(http://www.marinemammalscience.org)

Last week I had the opportunity to attend (for my first time) the 19th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals organized by the Society for Marine Mammalogy. The conference took place from November 27-Dec 2nd in beautiful downtown Tampa, FL. Kicking off the conference was an icebreaker event at the Florida Aquarium on Sunday night, which sadly, I missed due to arriving in town too late to register (I did, however, make it to the aquarium the following day on a solo expedition). I spent 3 days attending informative talks about the current research being conducted by marine mammal scientists across the globe. Originally I assumed spending 6 hours a day in lectures would grow tiresome, but at the end I was disappointed at having to leave a day early to fly back home.

The majority of the lectures I attended were about health issues in marine mammals.  Some topics included toxin exposure from harmful algal blooms, skin lesions in bottlenose dolphins, hair loss in Australian fur seals, hearing loss in harbor seals, and the neuroimmunological effects of translocating beluga whales in captivity.  There were also lectures about conservation, behavioral ecology, and new technology being used to study marine mammals. An example of new technology used in several studies was unmanned aircraft. This was used to conduct aerial surveys of marine mammal population distribution.

I attended a student affairs workshop in order to try and get a better sense of what sorts of careers are out there for recent marine biology graduates. Despite not having a masters degree or a PhD, I still found the information very useful. The workshop helped to solidify my decision to attend graduate school in the near future and what I have decided to study once I get there. I was able to meet with veterinarians and an epidemiologist during a pathology and vet medicine breakout session. While I decided that vet school it not for me, I do want to be involved in research and work dealing with marine animal health. The lectures I attended, as well as working as an intern for the National Marine Life Center made me realize that health issues are where my passion is. Health issues combine my background in marine biology, working as a veterinary assistant, and working for the NMLC.  My previous degree in sociology and environmental conservation (received prior to my degree in marine biology) is also applicable because more often than not, diseases in marine animals is a direct result of human activity. Conservation and rehabilitation go hand in hand in ensuring a healthy future for marine mammals (and sea turtles too!).

Summer Internship Opportunity

The National Marine Life Center (NMLC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to rehabilitating for release stranded sea turtles, seals, dolphins, porpoises, and small whales, and to advancing scientific knowledge and education in marine wildlife health and conservation.

2011 Intern Brie Teaches a Marine Animal Medical Mystery Program

Education Responsibilities-Interns will assist with environmental education programs, including on-site programs, off-site programs, fairs, and festivals. Interns will assist in giving public presentations to guests of NMLC and educate them on marine animals, conservation, and the NMLC. Interns will assist in the gift shop, assist with various office projects, create displays for the learning center, and help create lesson plans and activities that are aligned with the Massachusetts State Frameworks.

2011 Intern Brian Releases a Red Bellied Cooter Hatchling

Animal Care Responsibilities- Interns will be in charge of maintaining a coastal critter tank in the marine animal discovery center. They will collect and identify the coastal animals and maintain the tank’s water quality. Depending on need/case load interns will assist with the care of the NMLC rehabilitation patients including endangered red bellied cooters, diamondback terrapins & sea turtles.  Animal Care duties will include cleaning and disinfecting tanks, equipment, and environmental enrichment devices, food preparation, administering feeds, record keeping, kitchen maintenance, and water quality testing.  Interns may also assist animal care staff during medical procedures, with admission exams, and at release events.

Other Responsibilities- Each intern will take on a project which they will work on for the duration of their internship. The project must be proposed by the student and agreed upon with the NMLC staff. At the end of the internship the intern will present the project to the staff, volunteers, and members of the public. Each intern will also be assigned a weekly chore to assist with the upkeep of the facility and equipment.

Positions are unpaid, interns must have their own transportation, and housing is not provided, but NMLC will offer suggestions.

Our 2011 Summer Interns Alexa, Brie, Brian, and Brittany!

Qualifications-

-The internship is open to students who are currently enrolled in, or recently graduated from an accredited college or university.  High school students may also be considered.

-The internship is open to students who are currently enrolled in, or recently graduated from an accredited college or university.  High school students may also be considered.

-Preference will be given to students or recent graduates working towards biology, environmental studies, marine science, education, or other related fields.

-Intern should demonstrate strong written and verbal communication skills.

-Students that are adaptable, responsible, hard working, willing to learn, and have attention to detail are encouraged to apply.

-Must be able to work independently and as part of a team.

-Interns must be able to commit to at least three months; start and end dates are flexible due to school schedules.

-Interns must work a minimum of 20 hours per week.

 To Apply- Send your resume, cover letter, and one letter of reference to Kate Shaffer at kshaffer@NMLC.org or PO Box 269, Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts 02532. Applications must be received by January 20^th 2012.

Photo by Kate Shaffer.

Admittedly, I know very little about sea turtles. After starting my internship at the National Marine Life Center I decided to order a book specifically dedicated to the biology and behavior of these mysterious oceanic reptiles. One interesting fact I came across while reading was that the temperature at which the eggs are incubated determines whether or not the turtle will be male or female.Most vertebrates have sex chromosomes (XX for female and XY for male), however, sea turtles lack these chromosomes.

Females need warmer temperatures in order to develop. For example, in green turtles, temperatures need to be 88 F or above for the eggs to become females. For males to develop the temperature is around 82 F. If the temperature of incubation falls somewhere between 82 and 88 F, a mixture of the sexes develop. Heat produced by the eggs themselves can also contribute to the incubation temperature – eggs in the center of the nest become females and the eggs along the periphery become males (Spotila 2004).

If temperature affects the sex ratio of sea turtles, how might climate change impact populations in the future? Currently, sea turtle populations that nest in the southern portion of the United States are predominately female biased. It has been suggested (Hawkes 2007) that if there is even a 1 C warming of average temperatures, an even more significant bias could occur. If average warming exceeds 3 C, mortality rates of the eggs may also occur.

Climate change may also affect the nesting grounds of turtles if sea levels rise. Beaches currently being used by turtles may vanish under the sea. Ocean acidification (caused by increased CO2 levels) could potentially alter the sediment of the beaches, which may lead to inadequate conditions for incubation (Fuentes et al 2011). Sea turtles select their nesting sites based on several factors, such as low salinity, sufficient space above the hide tide line, adequate vegetation (for some species), high humidity, etc (Hawkes 2007). All of these may be affected by an increase in average global temperatures.

Future studies need to be conducted to better estimate the current sex ratios of the various sea turtle species in order to better predict how these will be affected by changes in nesting/incubation environments. Some possible ways that sea turtles may prevent extremely biased female sex ratios are by nesting earlier (cooler periods), nesting at higher latitudes (more north), changing the depth at which they bury their eggs, or changing the type of substrate they bury their eggs in (i.e. type of sand). That way more eggs will develop into males that might have otherwise been females (Fuentes 2011).

Just recently (August 18 2011), the first sea turtle nest was discovered in Delaware. Sea turtles are not known to nest that far north as well as that late in the season. They typically lay their nests on the coasts on South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. Alex Hoar, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Northeast Endangered Species Coordinator said that, “And with global warming, events such as this may be a sign of what is to come” (Delaware Online).

Sources:

Fuentes M.M.P.B, Limpus C.J., Hamann M. 2011. Vulnerability of sea turtle nesting grounds to climate change.  Global Change Biology. 17(140-153)

Hawkes L.A., Broderick A.C., Godfre M.H, Godley B.J. 2007. Investigating the potential impacts of climate change on a marine turtle population.  Global Change Biology: 13(923-932)

Spotila, James R. 2004. Sea Turtles: A Complete Guide to Their Biology, Behavior, and Conservation. The Johns Hopkins University Press.

Sea turtle’s nest is so egg-citing:  Sea turtle lays her eggs at Cape Henlopen in what may be the first such nesting herehttp://www.delawareonline.com/article/20110819/NEWS08/108190348/Sea-turtle-s-nest-egg-citing

Kate, Alexa, Brie, Brian, and Brittany at Woodneck Beach

I came into this summer knowing relatively little about marine animals and even less about the care that they receive during rehabilitation. Luckily I was surrounded by people at NMLC who had quite a bit of experience in the field and were more than happy to share their knowledge. Every day I learned something new and interesting from the staff, volunteers, and other interns. I now know more about sea turtles than I know about myself and I will never again mistake a sea lion for a seal. The summer provided me with plenty of hands on experience as well. I have had opportunities to administer treatments to turtles, monitor seals on nearby beaches, and release fully rehabilitated animals back into the wild.

My internship has also given me the chance to educate the public on a variety of issues related to marine animal conservation and rehabilitation. Whether it was in our kids programs, Fins and Flippers and Marine Animal Mystery, or outside NMLC walls talking with interested festival-goers, there was always someone excited to learn about all the amazing things animals can do and how we care for them when they are in need. It was challenging but fun to design and implement the children’s educational programs, and it was great to see the kids enjoying and benefiting from the work that everyone at NMLC puts in. With audiences ranging from groups of preschoolers to groups of nursing home residents, the numerous tours I gave throughout the summer tested and broadened my public speaking skills. Just about every group of people that came through the doors brought a new challenge and a new opportunity to learn.

Thank you to all of the staff, volunteers, and interns who helped to make this such a great summer.

Please join us in saying goodbye and thank you to our wonderful interns Brie, Brian, Alexa & Brittany. We wish them great success in their future endeavors, and hope that their experiences at the  National Marine Life Center have been beneficial to their education and career goals. They will all be greatly missed.

Recent sightings of sharks along Chatham beaches may bring scenes from Jaws to mind. While it is the same species of shark spotted along Chatham as in the movie, these are true great white sharks and not Hollywood hyperboles. It is true that this shark can detect a single drop of blood in 25 gallons of water, which can be up to 3 miles away. What isn’t true is that sharks crave the taste of human blood. Most human attacks from great whites are what’s called “sample biting,” when the shark will let go of the person after biting realizing that human meat is not what it wants to eat. Often attacks are because of ”mistaken identity” when sharks mistakes surfers or swimmers for prey. Because shark attacks are reality, you should be familiar with precautions to avoid one. Just remember what not to do with your “ABCDE’s”!

1. Alone. Do not swim alone, and don’t go too far from shore. Often sharks attack individuals and being alone can decrease your chance of getting lifesaving assistance.
2. Blood. Do not go in the water if you are bleeding or get injured while swimming.
3. Contrast. Sharks are attracted to contrast, like shiny jewelry which can be mistaken as fish scales or high-contrast clothing which can be mistaken for counter-shading like pattern of many prey items.
4. Dusk and Dawn. Avoid swimming at dusk, dawn, and night which are active times for sharks. Sharks can see well in low visibility conditions for people.
5. Eat. Do not swim where animals which sharks eat are. Avoid areas full of bait fish, fishing activity, seals and sea lions. Dolphins and sea birds circling may also be a sign sharks feeding nearby.

Always pay attention to local beach warnings and shark sightings as well. Respecting these animals as a predator is the first step to understanding their true nature. These animals are built to eat seals, sea lions, and fish; not to eat people. Great white sharks look for prey with the highest yield of energy. Sharks are about 85% muscle, while humans are only 40%; and it takes a lot to maintain a shark’s body. Seals and sea lions are the perfect meal because of their blubber and fat which yield a lot of energy. To white sharks, people are a skinny meal not worth the energy to consume. In order to identify prey, white sharks rely on visual cues like the body outline and color. Great white sharks often attack from below, swimming vertically at the prey, and mortally wounding it by force or biting. This behavior, which also includes breaching, is quite popular in South Africa while the sharks hunt fur seals.

Sharks go where the food goes, and the sharks spotted along Chatham were around an area populated with seals. With so many seal sightings this summer, it’s no wonder the sharks are nearby. Even if you don’t see a shark in the ocean this summer, you can have your own shark experience at the National Marine Life Center! Join us for our Fins & Flippers and Marine Animal Medical Mystery. Discover “mermaid’s purses” in our Beachcombers’ Table. These “mermaid’s purses” are egg cases for different species of sharks and rays. Stop by and learn how you can help with ocean conservation to protect ocean treasures like the Great White Shark.

Harbor seal pup.

Over the past couple of weeks the National Marine Life Center’s staff and interns have been involved with monitoring a number of stranded seals around the Cape.

There are four species of seals that live on Cape Cod: the hooded seal, the harp seal, the harbor seal and the gray seal. Two of these animals are seasonal visitors: the hooded and harp seals, and the other two live here year round: the harbor and gray seals. Our seasonal seals spend part of their lives in arctic waters. For our year round seal residents, it is pupping season. This means that this is the time of year that the females are giving birth to pups. Seal pups are very independent – pups from some species only stay with the mother for 4 days! When you see a seal on the beach a number of things could be happening. Seals are only semi-aquatic, so they spend part of their time in the water and part of their time on land. The animal could be perfectly fine and independent from its mother and just looking for a warm nap in the sun. Frequently, seal mothers leave the pups on the beach for a short amount of time so they can go fishing.

Seal pups are not as experienced or accomplished swimmers as their adult mothers, and don’t have the stamina or speed to keep up with their mothers while they’re hunting. So the mothers will leave their pup on the beach while they eat and come back for them later on. When people spot a seal on the beach, it will draw a crowd. If the mother comes back to retrieve the pup and there’s a number of people on the beach, the female will probably not approach the beach until the people are gone – even one person could be enough of a deterrent to keep her away from her pup. The baby can’t live too long without the mother – a couple days without her milk, and it will starve. If the pup is still with its mother – it’s probably not old enough to hunt for itself yet.

The seal pup found on Scusset Beach.

The first time I was able to go out with our animal care technician, Kate Shaffer, to check out a seal pup was a couple weeks ago. There was a very young harbor seal pup on the beach. This animal was probably not old enough to be independent yet. The organization responsible for marine mammal stranding rescues on the Cape is IFAW – the International Fund for Animal Welfare. When an IFAW volunteer arrives on the scene, the first thing they do is set up a barrier around the animal to keep people back. The goal is 100-150 feet on all sides – but that may not always be realistic to enforce. We give the animal as much space as possible and monitor it for 24-48 hours to keep people away from it and to find out if the animal is responsive to its environment, if it’s behaving normally, and to determine if it looks emaciated or if it’s suffering from any wounds.

The seal pup enjoys a sunny day at the beach.

The best thing for someone to do when he/she sees an animal on the beach is to LEAVE IT ALONE! Unfortunately, some people we encountered that day didn’t understand that – despite our attempt to explain that. Because seals are semi-aquatic, their skin is covered in fur, and doesn’t need to stay wet like a fish or whale. It is perfectly happy warming up on the beach, nice and dry. One woman was so distraught that we weren’t keeping the seal wet that she approached the animal and poured cold water on it. All this woman accomplished in this situation was scaring the seal – and causing it to leave the beach and swim out into the ocean, thus using up some of its valuable energy. We managed to find it again – it had found a quiet spot along the rocks on the jetty.

Harbor seal pup found a quiet spot after its harassment.

From there I hung out with some nice fishermen and watched over the seal for a couple hours – while trying not to look directly at it too much or take too many pictures. I tried not to draw too much attention to it so that it wouldn’t have to deal with the stress of loud people. My plan worked a little too well, and some teenagers jumped into the water from the jetty about 200 feet away. Although they weren’t terribly close to the pup, the splash scared it enough that it started swimming again. Kate and I followed it around the jetty as far as we could before it finally lost us. We hoped that the pup’s mother would be able to find it even though it had traveled a little way from where she left it. Unfortunately, the next morning it was found again on the beach. This is a mixed bag because it’s good news that the seal survived the night, but it’s bad news that the seal was not picked up by its mother.

Brie with the grey seal juvenile.

The next time we had a seal pup call was a couple weeks later, and it was a different species – a grey seal. This seal was probably old enough to be on its own; it had just hauled out onto the rocks along the Canal and was taking a nap. The role of the volunteers (in this case, the NMLC interns) was to answer questions about the seal, and just monitor its behavior to check for any abnormalities.

Grey seal juvenile.

We sat our with the seal for a couple hours – just talking to people and watching the seal wiggle around on the rocks, it was a great day! Eventually, the animal went back into the water on its own and continued on its journey. It was a great opportunity to spend some time with the grey seal and see how it moves on land.

Brittany with the seal. We were strictly business during our shift.

So the moral of the story is to leave seals alone if you see them on the beach. Dumping water on them or putting a blanket over them is actually harassment, and will hurt the animal much more than it could help. Seals don’t need to be wet – in fact if they’re coming up on the beach, that means that they want to dry off. Putting a blanket on a seal just reduces its ability to control its body temperature, and will probably cause it to overheat. Leave the rescue work to the professionals – please call the IFAW stranding hotline (508) 743-9548 if you find a stranded marine mammal.

Please don't harass seals!