A baby harbour seal will have a new lease on life after it was rescued from the shore of the Pitt River near Peace Park in Port Coquitlam Tuesday.
The newborn somehow was separated from its mother - likely while she was foraging for food - and was picked up by staff from the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Centre with help from the Coquitlam RCMP.
"It's nice to close a file with a good end," said Const. Eric Lauzon, who, with Const. Sarah Brown waited for the rescue team to arrive Tuesday afternoon after placing a wrap over the seal to give it some shade.
Const. Brown and Const. Lauzon said they grew attached to the little seal in just a short time.
"He's so cute," Const. Brown said.
A few passersby who noted the seal in the water late Tuesday night returned the next day to see if he was OK and called the rescue centre. The rescue team arrived at about 2:30 p.m., after assessing the situation, and picking up three other baby seals that day.
"It was a busy day for us," said manager Lindsaye Akhurst, who noted that it's not uncommon for baby seals to be separated from their mothers shortly after birthing, either because of tidal changes, human interference, and, occasionally, because the new mom is confused.
The centre, which runs completely on donations, currently has more than 44 baby harbor seals in its care, most of them separated from their moms, for one reason or another.
Rescue centre staff named the male harbor seal Hercules and posted information about him on their website and Facebook page.
When he arrived, he weighed about 12 kg but was extremely dehydrated, said Akhurst, who said staff will feed him electrolytes by tube five times a day to re-hydrate him before putting him on formula. If all goes well, and he gains weight properly and is able to feed on fish, he could be returned to the wild in about two months.
For now though, Hercules is holding his own, although he will need some tender-loving care for awhile.
"He's pretty lethargic, we are treating him for dehydration, malnutrition and anything else that comes as we need to," Akhurst said.
More information about the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Centre or to donate for Hercules' care, visit www.vanaqua.org/mmr. To check out the Facebook page visit, facebook.com/vammrc.
