Five seals released after rehab at Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Centre
It was a special day for five rescued harbour seals and the people who helped prepare them for their return to life in the wild.
CTV News Vancouver went along for the ride as the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society set the animals free just south of Bowen Island Thursday morning.
“They came into our facility in July of this past summer, and they’ve been with us for the last three months, going through the whole rehabilitation process, and today is the big day for them,” said Lindsaye Akhurst, Senior Manager of the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society.
The seals were rescued as young pups separated from their mothers, and have spent two to three months getting their weight up and learning how to survive in nature.
Watching the marine mammals take their first leap into the open ocean was a major milestone for the volunteers, who’ve spent hours of their time with the seals.
“I think the best part is getting to help with the rehabilitation process and just seeing them come in, and getting to see them be released, back to their home, into the wild – it’s really, really fulfilling, exciting,” volunteer Linda Clarke Harter told CTV News on board the boat used to release the seals.
The Port of Vancouver supported the release of the seals by providing a boat and crew.
"The port authority has a variety of different environmental programs when it comes to reducing and mitigating impacts from commercial shipping on marine mammals and the environment more generally,” said Andrea MacLeod, the director of environment at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority.
“We really applaud organizations like the marine mammal rescue centre who are helping recover wildlife populations," she added. “Our role today, in addition to providing the boat and the crew to come out and do the release, we’ve also – in the summertime – provided about $30,000 of funding through our community investment fund to the rescue centre. We also provide port lands in kind to the rescue centre to house the seals.”
While seals are often viewed as social and friendly – and they generally are when near the shore – when out in the open ocean they often keep to themselves. Despite being released in the same area, the animals released on Thursday are expected to go their separate ways.
If you want to help, the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society is a registered charity that accepts donations. There are also volunteering opportunities.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
LIVE Sinclair family shares heartfelt message ahead of memorial service
Murray Sinclair’s family members say the late justice and senator has been laid to rest according to his wishes.
Trump on Day 1: Begin deportation push, pardon Jan. 6 rioters and make his criminal cases vanish
Donald Trump has said he wouldn’t be a dictator — 'except for Day 1.' According to his own statements, he's got a lot to do on that first day in the White House.
Liberals to face third test in federal byelection in British Columbia next month
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced voters in Cloverdale—Langley City will pick their next member of Parliament on Dec. 16.
King Charles III and Kate attend remembrance events as both slowly return to duty
King Charles III led the nation Sunday in a two-minute silence in remembrance of fallen service personnel in central London as the Princess of Wales looked on, a further sign the royal family is slowly returning to normal at the end of a year in which two of the most popular royals were sidelined by cancer.
Cornwall, Ont. prepares for potential influx of asylum seekers following U.S. election
As the possibility of mass deportations looms following Donald Trump's re-election on Tuesday, border towns like the City of Cornwall are preparing for a potential influx of asylum seekers.
Sarnia, Ont. police make 'high-risk' arrests, charge 3 with kidnapping
On Friday, the Sarnia Police Service (SPS) received a report of an alleged abduction in the area of Kathleen Avenue and Walnut Avenue.
Canadian delegation 'overwhelmed' by visit to Great War battlefields
It's been a trip to cherish for a group of Canadians visiting Belgium this week to honour the legacy of Indigenous soldiers.
Donald Trump knows the Canada-U.S. relationship 'in a way he didn’t before': Ambassador
Canada's ambassador to the United States — and co-lead of the federal government's Team Canada war room — says U.S. president-elect Donald Trump has a different understanding of the bilateral relationship than he did during his first term in the White House.
Thinking of donating your brain to science? This is what they might do with it
Researchers say taking a peek inside a person's brain is as difficult as understanding the universe or discovering the ocean in its entirety.