April in Monterey, California means harbor seal pups. These little pups of blubber come out on some beaches around the Monterey area for a month of growing on mother’s milk.
My impression is harbor seals do not like to touch each other. They keep their space and when a little nursing pup can’t get milk from its own mom, the other adult seals on the beach are worth a try for a shot of milk. The results are vocalizations from the adult seals that are not heard most of the year, warding off the pups to go back to their own mom. Seals are fairly docile and quiet creatures when they are not disturbed by roaming pups.
There have been 14 pups born and living on the beach at Whalers Cove Point Lobos State Reserve and more pups are on the way, judging by the size of some of the female seals.
Another treat yesterday was to see the mama sea otter who birthed twins in February. Sea otters are physically incapable of raising twins. I came across the mama otter in Point Lobos within minutes of the twins birth.
Monterey Bay Aquarium rescued one of the twin pups who was abandoned within hours of being born. I learned yesterday that he has been introduced this week to Rosa, a female adult southern sea otter resident at MBAQ who has been a surrogate mother to other abandoned sea otter pups. Otter pup 696 is doing fine.
Meanwhile his twin at seven weeks old, who I was told is much smaller living in the wild with mom otter in Whalers Cove Point Lobos, was restfully sleeping on mother otter’s arm yesterday.
Too cute.
Off to Vancouver, Canada today in search of more wildlife and hockey nuts. Last time I was in Vancouver there was a riot over the Stanley Cup Playoffs in June 2011. I saw yesterday where Vancouver is in the Stanley Cup Playoffs again this week. Should be entertaining.
Hope to see some wildlife in outdoors British Columbia next week and wild life in the city.
Related post: Rare sea otter twin pups at Point Lobos State Reserve (Feb 27)
