“Chubby” — the Ailing Juvenile Harp Seal
The juvenile harp seal, first spotted on Saturday, remains beached along the wrack line of south Lieutenant Island. While she shifted nearly 500 feet, probably with the tidal flow, to the west from Saturday to Sunday, she now rests within a foot or two of yesterday’s location.
Don Lewis Examines Ailing Juvenile Harp Seal
On closer examination, she has begun to exhibit labored breathing which I did not detect during earlier observations. This afternoon’s 11.7-foot-high tide may afford her another opportunity to head out to sea, but after tomorrow morning’s high, tides will begin to drop sharply leaving her a goodly waddling distance to reach freedom.