Turtle Journal

Juvenile Harp Seal in South Lieutenant Island Marsh

This morning’s adventure in the Land of Ooze uncovered another harp seal pup hauled out in the salt marsh.  The number of juvenile harp seal sightings in South Wellfleet this winter has been quite amazing.  This fellow floated in with the predawn high tide and came to rest midway between the bay and Lieutenant Island’s southern shore.

Plump Harp Seal Pup

Healthy plump and about 2.5- to 3-foot long, he seemed quite pleased with this secluded hideaway.  As we completed our patrol and headed back toward civilization, the seal resumed his exhausting sunbathing regime.  Life is tough for these gorgeous critters, but someone’s gotta do it.

The juvenile harp seal found ailing in the Fresh Brook marsh on Tuesday morning, and returned to the marsh after emergency treatment Tuesday evening, died overnight.  When I checked her Wednesday morning, her body had just entered rigor.

Don Lewis Patrols South Wellfleet Marsh

The necropsy performed by the Mammal Stranding Network revealed an impaction of the tail end of the stomach with sand and worms.  The middle of the intestines was impacted with 2.5 feet of sand, and the end of the intestines was obstructed with black, dry, sandy feces … about a foot long.  For some reason, the animal kept eating sand rather than snow.

Another harp seal pup, this one quite healthy and active, turned up in Fresh Brook this morning.  Quite an exceptional year for harp seals in the Land of Ooze.

Healthy Harp Seal Pup off Blackfish Creek

Contrasting with the ailing seal discovered in the Fresh Brook marsh this morning, a very healthy harp seal pup was found playfully flopping about Pleasant Point off Blackfish Creek.

Juvenile Harp Seal

A little less than three feet long, maybe a half foot shorter than the other juvenile, this seal was markedly plumper and fully aware of its surroundings.

Juvenile Harp Seal Profile

Basking on the crunchy snow left over from the weekend blizzard, this fellow was bright eyed and beautiful.  Harp seals are usually rare in Wellfleet Harbor, but this season has brought us quite a gaggle of youngsters to share the winter weather.

Last night’s high tide brought an ailing harp juvenile seal into the Fresh Brook marsh northeast of Doctors Hill.

Harp Seal Pup off Fresh Brook Creek

Seemingly well nourished, this pup was nonetheless unresponsive to my approach.  Blood traces were observed in each location where the seal had moved across the snow covered marsh.  Closer examination revealed no wounds; the blood had exuded from the mouth.  Small amounts of whitish fluid gurgled from the nostrils.

Ailing Pup Seal

Doctor John Kelly of Eastham was gracious enough to evaluate this seal at his animal hospital; he decided that it was not so far gone as to be euthanized.  At the request of the Mammal Stranding Network, he administered 200 milliliters of nutrient solution by stomach tube.  Encountering some initial resistance, Dr. Kelly x-rayed the seal, but found no blockage.

Stranded Harp Seal Pup

After treatment, this harp seal was returned to the salt marsh near where it was spotted this morning.  The original location is frequented by coyotes, foraging at low tides, and the channels in Fresh Brook do not provide easy access back to the bay.  The seal now rests on the banks of Black Duck Creek several hundred yards southwest of the Lieutenant Island Bridge.  We’ll check on her overnight progress in the morning.

At low tide this morning, I executed a patterned search of the marsh south of Fox Island, focusing on the areas where the young harp seal was first detected on Saturday (star) and again Sunday (diamond).  There was no sign of her, but this marsh area is quite extensive with acres upon acres of thick grass laced with serpentine channels and quick-mud sink holes.  No ground search, no matter how exhaustive, could conclusively confirm her presence or absence.  I’ll continue to check this area during my regular terrapin habitat patrols.

The Cape and Wellfleet were blasted by a storm front last night with winds howling from the south with over 50 knot gusts.  It struck with enough force to down power lines and damage the Lieutenant Island bridge.  Today the breeze has swung to the west at a more moderate 25 to 30 mph.  One wonders whether this gentle critter might have sensed the impending storm and took refuge deep in a protective marsh system almost akin to a hurricane hole.  Just wondering.