Six rescued harbour seals slide back into B.C. waters

From a dock at Porteau Cove, a harbour seal pup looked out with wide eyes from a crate, towards the waters of Howe Sound.

After being nursed back to health by the team at the Vancouver Aquarium’s Marine Mammal Rescue Centre, Sweet Tooth and five of his buddies were about to be released into their natural habitat.

One of them had been fitted with a satellite link transmitter.

“Kiefer, specifically, he had a condition called megaesophagus, and his esophagus was quite dilated when he first came in,” said Dr. Martin Haulena.

It’s hoped the tag will provide useful data, like where the seal travels and where it eats.

“Every time he pops up above the surface of the water, that tag will connect with a satellite and allow us to generate a map,” said animal husbandry assistant Krista Tulloch.

The pups began arriving at the rescue centre in July and August, and they are now about five months old.

Some had been separated from their mums, others were wounded or had infections.

When their crates were finally opened, most of them had a look around, and then slid right in the water.

Loose Cannon, on the other hand, was quite controlled and wouldn't budge, until the top of his crate was taken-off.

“Today, he was just not feeling it, decided not to go. So they had to take that crate apart,” said Tulloch, laughing.