Despite collaborative efforts by the Oregon Marine Mammal Stranding Network (OMMSN), the Oregon Coast Aquarium (OCAq) and SeaLife Response, Rehabilitation, and Research (SR³), a Guadalupe fur seal has passed after stranding ashore on a Lincoln City beach.
On June 18, the OMMSN received reports of a Guadalupe fur seal stranded on a beach in Lincoln City, prompting a response from Aquarium staff. Concerned beachgoers observed from afar, directing others to give the animal a wide berth while help was on the way. OCAq staff located the seal—a male yearling—and transported him to the Aquarium for immediate care.
Weighing just under 17lbs., the seal was lethargic and emaciated, with a small wound just behind his front left flipper. Over the next several days, Aquarium staff monitored the seal around the clock, administering fluids and providing food and veterinary care.
OCAq partners with other marine mammal rehabilitation facilities to provide short or long-term care and treatment to stranded animals. On June 21, The Guadalupe fur seal was transported to SR³, based out of Washington state. SR³ operates the SeaLife Rescue Center, the Pacific Northwest’s only hospital dedicated to marine wildlife.
Though the seal continued to receive veterinary care, his condition deteriorated, and he passed away on June 24. A necropsy revealed severe pneumonia and systemic infection, and further testing will provide more insight on the cause of the seal’s stranding and death.
While this individual did not survive, the data gathered serves an important purpose, helping us better understand the species and the health of our ocean.
Guadalupe fur seals live in waters off southern California and the Pacific coast of Mexico, and are often observed feeding in Oregon waters. The Guadalupe fur seal is a threatened species protected by law in the United States. If you come across a stranded or injured marine mammal, note its location and immediately contact the West Coast Region Stranding Hotline at 1-866-767-6114.
