Dead seal found at Lincoln Park

| West Seattle news | Wildlife

(Seal Sitters photo: WDFW team arriving at Lincoln Park on Thursday)

Ian e-mailed us on Thursday to report encountering a Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network volunteer dealing with a dead seal on the beach at Lincoln Park. We contacted Seal Sitters to find out more, and heard back today from Lynn Shimamoto:

On Thursday morning, Seal Sitters hotline operator Gretchen received a report of a dead harbor seal south of Colman Pool. I found the body of a juvenile seal with no obvious signs of injury. I asked our stranding network partners at Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife if they could perform a necropsy. Dyanna Lambourn and Steve Jeffries, both marine-mammal experts at WDFW, agreed to pick up the seal at Lincoln Park. Soon their boat was speeding toward me. They pulled up close to shore, took the seal, and whisked it away for examination at the lab.

Information we collect on this seal will be added to NOAA’s national database. By calling the Seal Sitters hotline at 206-905-SEAL to report a marine mammal on the beach – dead or alive – the public is helping to contribute to the scientific monitoring of this population.

That’s 206-905-7325 – especially if you frequently walk/ride along the shore, consider keeping it in your phone.

Scott September 29, 2017 (10:31 am)

Are we able to obtain the results of the necropsy? Thanks.

Kersti Muul September 29, 2017 (10:58 am)

I’m assuming this is a different one than the one I saw mid-week that had it’s face chewed off? It was already painted by seal sitters.

Dale September 29, 2017 (11:47 am)

Different seal. Saw that one @ 7 AM Wednesday, at high water mark from overnight tide. Seal Sitter person said they ultimately buried it above high tide. Smaller than the new seal.

Lynn Shimamoto September 29, 2017 (11:54 am)

Please check Blubberblog.org for posts about Seal Sitters responses. In a case like this, it may take several days or even weeks as we await necropsy results.

The other dead seal Kersti mentioned first washed ashore at the north end of the park on Tuesday 9/26, when we marked it with water-based paint. When a carcass is not collected for necropsy, rather than take it to landfill, we prefer to allow the tide to carry it away and nourish the marine ecosystem This time, the tides were not cooperating and after 3 days of monitoring the very decomposing seal, I buried it under the driftwood.

Lisa September 29, 2017 (1:51 pm)

I wonder if this is the seal we all watched during the sunset last night along Beach drive. He was being chased by someone kayaking and people were yelling at the kayaker to stop chasing the seal.

Kersti muul September 29, 2017 (2:38 pm)

I appreciate that seal sitters let’s nature take its course..

Something had already been dining on it, which is great..and now it is nourishing the beach as nature intended.

NorthofAdmiral September 29, 2017 (3:50 pm)

Rest in peace little seal.

momosmom September 29, 2017 (4:53 pm)

To Lisa’s comment…what is wrong with some people?! Why or what would make someone to something like that??? Have they have no concern or love for any living creature…I’d hate to see what they’d do to a human being.

Makes me sick.