The Oregon Coast Aquarium has welcomed a new Pacific harbor seal, and while “Garry” is the youngest and smallest of the Aquarium’s seals, she’s making a big splash.
In August 2023, Garry was less than 2 weeks old when she was found stranded in British Columbia. She was taken to Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society (VAMMR) for immediate care, where she was dubbed Garry after Garry Point Park. Shortly after she was rescued, she had to have both of her eyes removed due to painful and persistent infections. Because of this, she was deemed non-releasable.
When an animal is ineligible for release, facilities work together to determine where the animal is most likely to thrive. VAMMR contacted OCAq as they believed the Aquarium would be an ideal home for Garry, knowing that our mammalogists are well-versed in caring for sight-impaired seals. The mammal care team felt Garry would be a welcome addition to the harbor seal family, which includes Skinny (49), Elvis (32), Miller (29), and Tazzy (16), all of whom receive specialized treatment for vision-related conditions.
A plan unfolded, leading to the most difficult part of the process: waiting. Transfers such as this require special permitting, an often lengthy and complex process. That said, the wait was worth it: in January 2025, the VAMMR team hit the road, making the trek to Newport.
Garry’s entourage unloaded her from the VAMMR animal ambulance and transported her to the Aquarium’s seal holding area where she could settle in behind-the-scenes.
Though Garry can’t see, she can navigate her surroundings with ease thanks to her sensitive whiskers, called vibrissae. At the base of each vibrissa is a cluster of nerve endings, allowing seals to sense vibrations in the water, even while they are moving. Garry adapted to her new habitat with ease, becoming more and more comfortable each day.
As Garry adjusted to her new home, her caretakers began working with her one-on-one.
Training a seal from scratch is no easy task, but the team had faith. Garry already knew her name, and she began learning other behaviors quickly, responding to caretakers’ verbal and touch-based cues.
“She’s a smart cookie,” said Senior Mammalogist Megan Pros as Garry hauled out of the water on cue. “It’s amazing to see her training progress, especially since she’s such a young seal and relies on her whiskers and verbal cues to navigate.”
As Garry built up her confidence, she explored other behind-the-scenes areas and met each of the other pinnipeds, which includes OCAq’s four Pacific harbor seals and two California sea lions.
“Even though Garry is a fraction of their size, she’s keeping up with the others just fine,” said Curator of Marine Mammals Brittany Blades. Garry won’t reach her full size for a few years yet. At 1.5 years old, she weighs just over 60lbs and measures about 3ft long, compared to OCAq’s fully grown seals, which range from 150-230lbs and measure 5-6ft long.
Assistant Curator of Marine Mammals Ashley Griffin-Stence is especially interested in seeing how Garry’s relationship with Tazzy, the Aquarium’s second-youngest seal, unfolds. “I am very excited to have Tazzy and Garry together,” she said. “They are both blind, energetic, and sassy. So far, Garry seems to enjoy following Tazzy and touching noses together with her.”
Now fully introduced to her new pals, Garry is spending a few days each week in the public-facing pinniped habitat. She can often be seen trailing the other seals, easily identified by the dark fur where her eyes once were, as well as her small size. Like OCAq’s other marine mammals, Garry will spend time behind-the-scenes for vet checks, training, and during habitat cleans. If you don’t see Garry during your next visit, check out the habitat later or on another day—we promise she’s worth the wait.
