Covered in Fish and Glitter

I have just finished my first week of work at the Alaska SeaLife Center! I started out on Wednesday in the stranding department, where I will be spending most of the summer. We already have a harbor seal pup in our care, her name is Silky. 

Photo credit: Alaska SeaLife Center

During our workday, we received another harbor seal pup! She came in weighing 7.7 pounds and was about the size of a month old baby. Dr. Kathy Woodie came to do a physical assessment. Usually in stranding, you keep your conversations to a minimum so the pups don't get used to human voices, which helps them keep a distance from humans once they get released back in the wild. Since this pup has been in human care all day already, she wanted to make this a learning opportunity for us, so she told us exactly what she's looking for and checking as she is doing it. She let us feel for a follicle near the umbilical cord. 

Since we only have two pups in the stranding department, I am getting cross trained in several departments for a few weeks. I spent the last two days in marine mammal husbandry, which is what I have the most experience in. I began the day by stuffing medicine, vitamins, and glitter pills in fish for the animals. We collect fecal samples and send them to our lab to assess hormone levels. The steller sea lions get glitter pills in their food in order to know whose poop is whose. Each sea lion has a different color glitter to keep track of this.

I also got the opportunity of a lifetime yesterday. I got to feel the pregnant harbor seal. Atty is expecting her third harbor seal pup and could be giving birth as early as next week. Her harbor seal pup is very active inside her, and I was able to feel her belly as the pup moved around. I was smiling so much, it was one of the coolest things I've ever done. 

Atty, the pregnant harbor seal. Photo credit: Alaska SeaLife Center

Atty is also known for her beautiful paintings, which I was able to watch in action.

Later in the day, I observed another harbor seal training session with the "bachelor pad", which is all of the male harbor seals on exhibit.

I have had the most incredible first week in Alaska, and I don't think I've stopped smiling since I got here. I may be covered in fish guts and glitter, but I am the happiest girl in the world.

xoxo, 

Jules