New Treatment Allows Seal Pups to Return to the Wild

By Kate Hruby, Communication and Education Coordinator

Every summer, the calls of harbor seal pups emanate from the SR3 Rescue Center. From May to September, harbor seal mothers are giving birth out in the wild and nursing for 4-6 weeks. During that time, human disturbance can cause the mother to abandon her pup before the pup is ready to survive on their own. In cases like this, SR3 can help.

Griffin was our first patient of the 2024 pupping season, arriving at the Rescue Center on May 12th due to malnutrition, a sign of maternal abandonment. The beginning of his care was standard: electrolytes and harbor seal formula, an intake exam, medication on the site of his umbilical cord, and short swims.

Griffin at the beginning of his time at the Rescue Center, nestled into a pillow in his personal enclosure.

After a week of regular meals, animal care staff began to notice that something was wrong. Griffin was bloated, gassy, and hunching his abdomen - a sign of discomfort - and he had trouble swimming due to the extra gas in his body.

On June 3rd, he was given another examination, this time with x-rays as one of the added procedures, and the images that came back were not promising. Griffin had a condition called megaesophagus.

An x-ray of Griffin from June, with the red arrow pointing to his enlarged esophagus visible through his ribs and spine.

Megaesophagus is a disorder in which the esophagus (the tube between the mouth and the stomach) dilates and loses its ability to move food. This condition is not well-studied in seals, and its cause in these animals remains unclear. Symptoms include regurgitation, bloating, and sometimes secondary aspiration pneumonia. For domesticated dogs, there is a specialized chair to sit in after a feed that keeps the esophagus vertical, which helps gravity push the food down past the enlarged esophagus and into the stomach. This mechanism is something we have used with seal patients, but it is not a long-term solution. Historically, seals with megaesophagus would not be able to survive in the wild, nor be a candidate for relocation to a zoo or aquarium, and SR3 humanely euthanized them due to a lack of treatment options.

At the time of Griffin’s diagnosis, SR3’s veterinarian Dr. Michelle Rivard was at the International Association for Aquatic Animal Medicine conference in Ireland, listening to a presentation by our colleagues at Vancouver Marine Mammal Rescue Society about the successful treatment of two harbor seals with megaesophagus. Seeing the potential to contribute to this new study and rehabilitate a patient, SR3 began Griffin’s treatment: Viagra twice a day to loosen the muscles at the base of his esophagus so food could pass more easily into his stomach.

An x-ray of Griffin from October, with the red arrow pointing to his resolved esophagus.

For three months, along with the Viagra, Griffin was on a course of medication to help his bloating. "We saw improvement in Griffin's regurgitation and overall condition within a few weeks of starting medications, though he remained significantly bloated for about a month,” said SR3 veterinarian Dr. Michelle Rivard. By the end of July, he finally began to gain weight and was able to dive down to the bottom of his pool - though the gas in his system still prevented him from staying at the bottom for longer periods of time. 

“Fortunately, with continued supportive care, Griffin's bloating resolved and he was able to swim and forage like a normal seal," said Michelle. At the beginning of October, when he reached his release weight of 50 pounds, he was imaged a second time, and it was confirmed that Griffin’s esophagus had returned to a normal size.

After 152 days at the Rescue Center, Griffin had recovered from malnutrition, maternal separation, and a condition that once would have made it impossible for him to recover at SR3 and return to the ocean. Overcoming every challenge, he now swims wild and free.

Griffin’s first moments back in the ocean after his time at the Rescue Center.

A map of Griffin’s locations from his release on October 11th to when the data was last downloaded on November 5th. Since the 5th, we have continued to get updates on his location.

Griffin was outfitted with a satellite tag to track his movements after release, and we’ve been getting updates on his location along the Washington outer coast for the past month.

Griffin is one of three patients with megaesophagus that we have treated this year. Elf, a harbor seal pup who came to the Rescue Center in June, also had this condition. With medication, Elf’s megaesophagus resolved, and he was outfitted with a satellite tag and released to the wild on October 9th in Bellingham Bay. We are continuously getting updates on his location around his release site and in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Naga, a pup who arrived in August, is still receiving treatment at the Rescue Center.

Studies like this ensure we’re continuing to improve care for the patients that come to SR3, along with patients at other organizations across the country, the continent, and the world. Not only is this story a success for Griffin, who got a second chance in the wild, but it is a success for the marine mammal rehabilitation community and for all the future patients we will be able to help.

Seasonal health monitoring of SRKWs

By Dr. Holly Fearnbach, Marine Mammal Research Director

The SR3 team successfully collected aerial photogrammetry images of Southern Resident killer whales (SRKWs) from J, K and L pods in September and October to extend their health monitoring into the 17th year! Analysis of these images is currently underway and the team will continue collecting body condition data from SRKWs into the winter months to better understand how SRKW condition changes seasonally. SRKW body condition has been found to vary by pod and September SRKW body condition has been correlated with tributary and area-specific indices of Chinook salmon abundance. Specifically, the strongest relationship was found between J pod and Fraser River Chinook salmon, followed by L pod and Puget Sound Chinook salmon (read more here). However, the diet of SRKWs has been found to shift in autumn and winter months, with a higher proportion of coho and chum salmon found in their diet during this period (read more here). SR3’s SRKW health monitoring will continue to provide quantitative measures of SRKW body condition throughout the year to help identify links between body condition and seasonal foraging patterns. These updated SRKW health metrics will be provided to management agencies in both the U.S. and Canada to help inform management actions aimed at ensuring that SRKWs have an adequate supply of prey year-round.

Aerial images of Southern Resident killer whales showing J35 and J57 during a chase (left) and capture (right) of a coho salmon in October 2024. Images collected non-invasively using a remotely operated drone flown at an altitude of > 100 ft under NMFS permit # 22306. 

Behavioral Responses of Dolphins to Navy Sonar

By Dr. Holly Fearnbach, Marine Mammal Research Director

SR3’s Dr. Holly Fearnbach collaborated with researchers from Southall Environmental Associates, Cascadia Research Collective, University of California Santa Cruz and Kelp Marine Research on a paper Behavioural responses of common dolphins to naval sonar recently published in the scientific journal Royal Society Open Science. This project used a novel integration of research methods including photogrammetry of aerial drone imagery, acoustic monitoring using underwater listening recorders, and tracking using shore-based theodolite to assess the impact of Navy sonar on dolphin populations off of Santa Catalina Island, California. The team found clear evidence of responses by the dolphins to sonar, including acoustic responses and behavioral changes such as changes in direction, speed and group configuration. The results show that the dolphins responded to sonar at much lower sound levels than previously considered in regulatory decisions warranting important management considerations. Read more here.

Images collected during a study on the behavioral response of common dolphins to Navy sonar off Catalina Island, California: Left (top and bottom): Dr. John Durban flying the drone into the hands of Dr. Holly Fearnbach following a flight over common dolphins. Top right: Photo of a long-beaked common dolphin surfacing; Bottom right: Aerial image of a group of short-beaked common dolphins. Aerial image collected during a high-altitude (>200 ft) drone flight. Research authorized by NMFS research permit # 19091.

Hot off the camera: aerial images of all three pods and the first health measurements of the newest Southern Resident killer whale calf

By Dr. Holly Fearnbach, Marine Mammal Research Director

SR3's Dr. Holly Fearnbach, Dr. John Durban and Sadie Youngstrom have had a successful start to their annual health monitoring of Southern Resident killer whales (SRKWs), extending our dataset to 17 years in this consistent month of September! The team has been flying a custom drone carrying a high-resolution camera and precise altimeter 150 ft high over the whales to non-invasively collect aerial images that enable quantitative measurements of length and body condition - a photogrammetry technique Dr. Fearnbach and Dr. Durban have pioneered over the last decade. So far this month, the team has collected aerial images of members from all three pods (J, K and L) and updated health metrics from these images will be reported to fisheries management agencies in both the US and Canada, with the aim of ensuring that SRKWs have an adequate supply of prey, specifically Chinook salmon. 

Notably, the team has imaged and measured the newest member of the Southern Resident killer whale population, L128, and its mother L90. These are the first quantitative data on the health of the pair since L90 gave birth, collected on the first day that the new calf was seen. Measurements show that the mother is in a defined body condition state of “normal” for an adult female at this time of year, an improvement from when she was last measured to be in “poor” body condition state in November 2022. The calf is very small and vulnerable, measuring only 7 ft (compared to its 19 ft long mother), making it the smallest calf in SR3’s measurement dataset and placing its likely age at just a few days at most. SR3 will continue to monitor the growth of the calf, and the body condition of both the calf and its mother, in the coming weeks as part of our annual photogrammetry assessment of the population's health, and in the coming years to hopefully document successful rearing of the calf. In a population this small, every calf matters. Thanks to Dave Ellifrit, Jessica Farrer and their teams from the Center for Whale Research and the Whale Museum, respectively, for their collaboration on the water.

Aerial images of Southern Resident killer whales taken during health research in September 2024: L90 and her new calf L128 surfacing (left) and J16 breaching (right). Images obtained using an octocopter drone flown non-invasively >100ft above the whales under NMFS research permit # 22306.

Health monitoring of Southern Resident killer whales to inform management actions

By Dr. Holly Fearnbach, Marine Mammal Research Director

SR3’s Dr. Holly Fearnbach and Dr. John Durban have continued to collect valuable data on the health of Southern Resident killer whales (SRKWs) as part of their year-round monitoring of the endangered population. The team (joined by SR3’s Sadie Youngstrom in late June and early July) has been using an octocopter drone to non-invasively collect aerial images of SRKWs throughout the year to document seasonal changes in body condition (6/7 months so far this year), adding to data collected in 7/12 months in each of the past two years. These data are collected to help inform management actions aimed at recovering the struggling population. 

Using measurements from aerial images collected between June 2023 and May 2024, Holly and John identified one individual SRKW to be in late-stage pregnancy, 14 individuals to be in poor body condition (BC1), and one individual that declined three body condition states from robust condition (BC5) to sub-normal condition (BC2) when they were last imaged. BC1 individuals have been found to have an elevated (2 x 3) likelihood of subsequent mortality. As such, these 15 whales were designated as vulnerable by an emergency rule issued by Washington’s Department of Fish and Wildlife, requiring commercial whale-watching vessels to stay at least one-half nautical mile away from the vulnerable Southern Resident killer whales this summer, and encouraging all boaters to Be Whale Wise and do the same. This management action is intended to limit disturbance from vessel noise to maximize the whales’ chances of finding and catching their primary prey, Chinook salmon. Starting in January 2025, almost all boaters will be required to stay 1,000 yards from any SRKW in Washington waters

This marks the highest number of whales that have been identified to be in poor condition during the 17 years of the SRKW health monitoring project. There are additional whales that also had shape profiles consistent with earlier stages of pregnancy when last imaged, but measurements indicated that they had not yet advanced to late stage (defined as the last six months of a 17-18 month pregnancy). The team will continue to monitor the success of these pregnancies and will hopefully document improvements in the body condition of the vulnerable whales.

Aerial images of J pod Southern Resident killer whales July (left) and April (right) 2024. Image obtained using an octocopter drone that was flown non-invasively >100ft above the whales under NMFS research permit 22306 and DFO Research License MML-50.

SR3 Provides Veterinary Support to Pinniped Field Research Project

By Dr. Michelle Rivard, Veterinarian

Aerial view of the West Spit, Sable Island

This past winter, SR3’s veterinarian, Dr. Michelle Rivard, spent two months on Sable Island, Nova Scotia, contributing to gray seal research. Dr. Rivard has now made this trip two years in a row to collaborate on multiple projects studying seals in the wild, conducted by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Texas Tech University, University of Alaska Fairbanks and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute.

Dr. Rivard on a rainy day on Sable Island, with a weaned gray seal pup and wild horses in the background.

Not easily accessible to people, Sable Island is located in the Atlantic Ocean, 180 miles southeast of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and is protected and managed by Parks Canada. The island is a narrow, crescent-shaped sandbar, approximately 26 miles long and only 0.75 miles across at its widest point. The island is home to hundreds of wild horses, as well as the largest gray seal colony in the world.

Gray seals live for 30-40 years and gather in large groups during the breeding season each winter. Every December to February, 400,000 gray seals aggregate on Sable Island to have their babies and mate, and about 80,000 pups are born each year on the sandy shores. Moms nurse their pups for approximately three weeks, during which time pups triple their birth weight! Pups typically wean at around 50 kg (110 lbs), at which time the mothers return to the ocean and the pup’s fat reserves help to sustain them throughout a post-nursing fast that can last for several weeks as they learn how to swim and hunt on their own. Gray seal pups are born with long, white fur that sheds around the time of weaning.

Gray seal mom and pup pair in the sand.

Sable Island provides a unique environment that gives researchers access to study gray seals in a location that is uninhabited by humans. Because Sable Island is home to such a large portion of the population, scientists are able to collect important life history data over the duration of an individual gray seal’s life. By permanently marking a subset of the animals, scientists can identify the same seal year after year and record important reproductive information about her and her pups.

Graduate students from Wood's Hole and Texas Tech University taking ultrasound measurements from sedated gray seal pup.

In addition to the population ecology work, there are multiple other research projects that are conducted to learn more about gray seal diet, movement, behavior, physiology and overall health. Dr. Rivard provided veterinary support to these projects to ensure safe and effective handling and sedation of the animals. Aside from gathering important data, these projects have provided the opportunity to refine pinniped field immobilization techniques to maximize human and animal safety while prioritizing animal welfare.

The invaluable information gathered throughout this field research allows scientists to model and predict changes to the population, develop techniques that can be used for future research projects, and has the potential to be applied to other pinniped populations throughout the world. Dr. Rivard was not only able to contribute her unique expertise to this project, but also learn from collaborators, transferring a knowledge base to the Pacific Northwest that we can apply to our local seals and sea lions.

Actions and photos permitted under Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and Parks Canada.

The Sounders are Back

By Dr. Holly Fearnbach, Marine Mammal Research Director

SR3’s Dr. Holly Fearnbach and Dr. John Durban have had a successful start to their monitoring of the “Sounder” gray whales during their annual stopover in Puget Sound to feed on ghost shrimp. A remotely-controlled octocopter drone has been flown non-invasively to collect aerial images of 9 whales, all individuals that have been imaged and measured each year since 2020 to assess their nutritional health. These images allow the team to monitor changes in body condition between years, as well as within the year, before they continue their migration northward to their Arctic summer feeding grounds. Comparative data on individual condition is important to help guide conservation measures to maintain adequate seasonal prey availability for the Sounders and assess how individuals are faring after the end of the Unusual Mortality Event that has been impacting the population since 2019.

Aerial images of two “Sounder” gray whales photographed in March 2024. Note the differences in body condition of the two whales: the whale on the left is lean and the whale on the right is robust. Differences in body condition are quantified by measuring widths along the profile of the whale. Images were collected non-invasively using an octocopter drone flown at >150ft over the whales under NMFS research permits 22306.

Winter health monitoring update for SRKWs and Bigg’s killer whales

By Dr. Holly Fearnbach, Marine Mammal Research Director

SR3’s Dr. Holly Fearnbach and Dr. John Durban have been able to collect valuable winter data on the health of killer whales in the Salish Sea. This is the fifth year of winter monitoring and 17th year of the study for Southern Resident killer whales (SRKWs), and the 10th year of the study for Bigg’s transient killer whales. So far, the team has used a remotely-controlled octocopter drone to non-invasively collect aerial images of most members of J-pod from the endangered Southern Resident killer whale population and a small group of Bigg’s killer whales. These images provide important data on seasonal changes in body condition for both ecotypes of killer whales. The team will continue collecting comparative data on killer whale condition throughout the year to monitor changes in condition and help guide conservation measures to maintain adequate year-round prey availability. The team just kicked off their annual monitoring for the local “Sounder” gray whales during their feeding stopover in Puget Sound. More updates to come!

Image showing an adult male Bigg’s killer whale (T123A) surfacing with the Robert Banks Superport in the background (left); and aerial image of the T123 matriline (right). Aerial image was collected non-invasively using an octocopter drone flown at >100ft over the whales. Research conducted under Department of Fisheries and Oceans License MML-50.

“Pupnapping” in the Puget Sound

By Kate Hruby, Communications Specialist

Human disturbance is one of the most common reasons patients come into care at SR3. From people and pets being in the same area as a marine mammal, all the way up to more direct interaction, there are many ways that people inevitably disrupt the natural behaviors of these wild animals. 

In the summer of 2023, SR3’s 23rd patient was a prime example of direct human interaction that led to a pup becoming separated from his mom before he could survive on his own. The pup, who would soon be known as Relish, was looking for a place to rest. As he swam around an occupied boat, the boat owners grew concerned about his small size and frequent vocalizations. The folks on the boat, though well-intentioned, picked Relish up out of the water and brought him on board, an action that is illegal under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

The boaters called the Marine Mammal Stranding Network once Relish was aboard their vessel, and after our partners assessed the situation, he came to SR3. While we were able to provide care, it is always best to leave pups and moms together in the wild.

Relish rests in his first few days of care. He is shedding white fur that is an occasional trait of newborn harbor seals.

Along Washington’s coast and in the Salish Sea, harbor seals are born mostly from May to September. Pups nurse for 4-6 weeks on their mother’s fatty milk before they are ready to be on their own in the wild. They are born with the ability to swim, but this month of development helps them grow larger and learn to forage, doubling their body weight in that short period of time.

During these first few weeks of their life, a pup may rest alone on shore, rocks, docks, or other infrastructure for hours at a time while their mom is off swimming and feeding in the area. While apart, harbor seal pups communicate with their mother using a call that can sometimes sound distressed, but is completely normal.

Relish’s case is an extreme example of the ways humans can impact marine mammals, since just being near a seal pup while they are resting can cause the adult to abandon her pup. As the Puget Sound is home to millions of people, human disturbance leading to maternal separation is unfortunately something we see often in the region. SR3 has cared for dozens of animals linked to human disturbance since the Rescue Center opened in 2021.

Once Relish was at SR3, he was fed a harbor seal milk substitute for several weeks before he was introduced to fish, mimicking the length of time he would have been nursing in the wild. Once herring was brought into his meals, what we call Fish School, it took him another three weeks until he was eating the fish on his own and competing with his poolmates for prey. Two months into his care, he started to gain weight more quickly, and once he had gained enough weight to be released back to the wild, Relish was safely returned to the ocean. He was at the Rescue Center for 105 days.

Relish just before release, over 30 pounds larger than he was when he arrived at the Rescue Center.

 How can you keep moms and pups together in the wild?

1. Stay away: If you see a marine mammal, stay at least 100 yards away. If they turn to look at you, you’re too close!

2. Keep your pets on a leash: Pups of all kinds are curious, and keeping your pet on a leash ensures their safety along with the safety of the marine mammal.

3. Call the experts if you’re concerned: Call the Marine Mammal Stranding Network, 1-866-767-6114, to report the animal and its predicament. This way, trained responders can assess the situation.

4. Educate: Kindly alert others about the need to stay far away from the animal and keep their pets on a leash.

5. Whatever you do, don’t touch: Even if the animal looks like it is in distress, never interact with it. This causes more harm than good, and is also illegal under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

New publication sheds light on how baleen whales locate their food

By Dr. Holly Fearnbach, Marine Mammal Research Director

SR3 collaborated with colleagues from 16 different research groups to publish a new paper titled “Morphology of nares associated with stereo-olfaction in baleen whales” in the prestigious scientific journal Biology Letters. The international research team used morphometric measurements from drone images of free-ranging whales to help understand how baleen whales locate prey patches in their marine habitats. Baleen whales have paired blowholes (nares) that allow for something called stereo-olfaction, where each nares operates independently of the other sending different signals to the brain that are then used to identify the direction of an odor. Fourteen baleen whale species were included in this study and a significant relationship was found between nares-width and whale trophic level (where they feed on the food chain). Baleen whale species with the largest nares-width corresponded with feeding on the lowest trophic level (zooplankton) and were best suited for stereo-olfaction. These findings provide evidence that some baleen whale species, like endangered North Atlantic right whales, may be able to localize odorants such as dimethyl sulfide (DMS), an odorous gas emitted by phytoplankton in response to grazing by zooplankton. However, this is also a conservation concern because biofouling on floating plastic debris also emits DMS, which could lead to incidental plastic ingestion by foraging baleen whales.

Aerial image of an open blowhole of a North Atlantic right whale in Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Image taken using a drone during health research, authorized by permit # 17355 from the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service. Image by John Durban and Holly Fearnbach.