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The Daily Bucket - Friendly Seal & pup, 2025 [1]
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Date: 2025-07-18
July 17, 2025
Salish Sea, Pacific Northwest
Yesterday I saw Friendly Seal hanging out near a new seal pup. I can’t be absolutely 100% certain it’s hers since I didn’t see her nursing, but it’s likely this is her 2025 offspring. July is peak pupping season around here.
For those not familiar with the Friendly Seal story, she is a Harbor Seal I first met in October 2013 while kayaking in this bay. She was a youngster at the time, maybe one or two years old based on her size and playful behavior. For a number of years she continued to be quite friendly and engaging.
June 28, 2014. Friendly Seal following Mr O’s kayak
November 4, 2016. Toying with Mr O, sneaking up from behind
We learned she was a she after seeing her with her first pup in July 2016. Haven’t seen her with pups every year since then but that doesn’t mean she didn't have them. I’m not out at the bay all day every day, and she comes and goes. We definitely saw her with pups in the summers of 2016, 2017, 2019, 2023, 2024. Friendly Seal spends a great deal of time in this particular bay, and often sleeps on the dinghy dock at certain times of year. As a mature adult she is much more standoffish, although she continues to be curious about activity on the dock and beach.
Yesterday I was out on the dock uploading the trailcam sd card and heard a seal pup mewing. It sounds like “maaaa”. Harbor seals only vocalize when young pups, as a way to keep in contact with their mothers who are fishing nearby. I looked up and there the pup was, not far from the dock. Not stressed at all, just hanging out.
Pup mewing
Not far away was Friendly Seal, fishing. She swam by the dock and we said Hi.
FS passing by
Both she and the pup were underwater most of the time but I could hear the pup mewing off and on as it moved across to the other side of the bay. At one point they were both visible on the surface at once.
Pup is on right, in nose up easy breathing position
After 20 minutes or so I saw no sign of either. Probably departed the bay.
That’s my Friendly Seal update. With luck I may see them again!
💙
Sunny and pleasantly mild today in the PNW islands, temps in the 60s. High light overcast and calm.
What’s up in nature in your neighborhood?
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