YOU CAN HELP! RSVP for Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network training

| How to help | West Seattle news | Wildlife

(Photo by Robin Lindsey)

Volunteer work … on the beach. Doesn’t get much better than that. Especially when it involves helping marine mammals and helping people learn about them. So here’s your chance! From Robin Lindsey @ Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network, which deals with more than seals:

We still have some spaces left for our Saturday, August 27th, Seal Sitters new volunteer training, held from 10 am-12:30 pm – see the details here.

Anyone interested must RSVP at the link above to ensure a seat. We welcome new volunteers and do encourage children to join the group, since they can learn to be environmental stewards and be empowered with protecting marine life.

We are definitely in the throes of harbor-seal pupping season now and it has certainly been an interesting season thus far with numerous seal pups, as well as the sad stranding of the humpback whale. Just (Wednesday) we had a report of a pup on the beach steps at Alki, but the pup didn’t linger long and left right before our responder arrived.

As always, if anyone sees a seal pup – or other marine mammal – on the beach or in trouble offshore, please call Seal Sitters hotline @ 206-905-SEAL (7325). Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network is a partner in NOAA’s West Coast MMSN and responds to reports of all marine mammals, dead or alive.

P.S. Here’s one of the seals guarded by SSMMSN recently – Robert Spears sent the photo from last week:

He says SSMMSN was there not only keeping the perimeter but also educating passersby.

s August 19, 2016 (10:04 am)

How are seal populations doing in Puget Sound?

Joe Dirt August 19, 2016 (1:38 pm)

Cross train Animal Control Officers. They could keep people and dogs away from seals and write tickets all day to owners of dogs on the beach.

Laura Larson August 20, 2016 (7:53 am)

I understand why people hate dog owners (poop, barking, invasion), but let’s be smart about how we treat them. Many, if not most, do pick up after their dogs and many dogs need off-leash time. Let’s get them involved with preservation. They spend (or would like to spend) more time on the beach with their dogs than most non-dog owners because of the need to exercise their dogs daily… even more than that for some. Maybe we create a wonderful relationship between dog owner, conservation, and the beach in general. I don’t think writing tickets accomplishes anything. They will just go to a different beach or park because tickets do not change the underlying need to get off-leash time. Personally, I would commit to several hours of cleanup per month (or whatever) in exchange for a pass to allow my dog to run after hours in conjunction with being a responsible owner and protecting the wildlife. I know that sounds counter to what this thread is about, but let’s remember dog lovers are often animal lovers in general. Let’s not assume that owners would behave irresponsibly around marine life. If properly educated, we may gain an army of stewards for the beach for every one violator. I will sign up for the conservation program either way, but it’s a thought. Let’s think symbiotic relationships, please. More will get done! Build bridges—yadda yadda yadda. I would even volunteer to organize something it asked 😉

FYI: Anyone who has been paying attention to the Seattle Parks Dept and their resent 2 yr study on the subject shows Seattle is grossly under providing for off-leash areas as compared nationally to cities a fraction of our size. We just don’t have the money to do anything about it.

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