(“Tootsie” the seal pup, photographed by Seal Sitters’ Robin Lindsey)

Want to volunteer on behalf of the wildlife who share our waters and shores? Next Saturday (August 12th), 10 am-12:30 pm, Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network has room for you in their next new-volunteer-training session.

Help protect wildlife! Volunteer with Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network. Seal Sitters MMSN responds to reports of all marine mammals, dead and alive, along West Seattle’s shore from Brace Point through the Duwamish River.

Harbor seal pupping season is now underway in Puget Sound. September and October are typically the busiest months for responses in our area, when newly weaned (and often struggling) pups strike out on their own and often end up alone on crowded urban beaches. This will be the final training for the 2017 Season.

On Saturday morning, August 12th, we will be holding a special training for those wanting to help protect marine mammals in West Seattle. Unlike most marine mammal stranding networks, we encourage children to participate in Seal Sitters – supervised at all times, of course, by a parent or guardian. We are proud of our dedicated volunteers who are on duty rain or shine – we hope you will join us!

A multi-media presentation will illustrate Seal Sitters MMSN’s educational work in the community and the unique challenges of protecting seals and other marine mammals in an urban environment. Included in the training is an overview of NOAA’s West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network and biology and behavior of seals and other common pinnipeds.

For more information about the training and to RSVP, please visit Seal Sitters’ blubberblog.

The training session is at Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds), and RSVP’d participants are asked to arrive early – registration starts at 9:30 am.