ZooBorns

Meet Riley the Seal Pup!

 On December 11, Moody Gardens welcomed a newborn harbor seal! Mom Presley and her pup have spent their short time together bonding through activities like nursing and exploring their exhibit.

“Nursing and sleeping are healthy behaviors for a pup. Right now Riley is curious about the environment and is quickly adapting to its surroundings,” said Animal Husbandry Manager Greg Whittaker. “Since there are just more than 100 harbor seals in captivity: this birth and Riley’s health is important to the entire species.”

Riley is not only an exciting birth for Moody Gardens, but also for parents Porter and Presley who first met in 2006. Porter, who was rescued near death off the coast of Maine after being abandoned by his mother, made his home at Moody Gardens in 2001. He had been bottle fed and nursed back to heath by workers at Marine Animal Lifeline, but after an infection destroyed his eye biologists decided Porter would not be able to survive in the wild. Five years later, Presley joined the Moody Gardens family after her caretakers at Memphis Zoo determined the young harbor seal needed a companion.

Although Presley and Porter have conceived in the past, this is the couple’s first successful birth and Porter have conceived in the past, this is the couple’s first successful birth.

Photo credits: Moody Gardens

 

Read more after the jump!

Sweet Sea Lion Pup in Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium is barking with excitement over the birth of their new Sea Lion pup! Callie, a 6-year old California Sea Lion, gave birth to the pup last Friday in a behind-the-scenes area. 

“Both mother and baby are doing very well,” says Henry Kacprzyk, curator of KidsKingdom. “They are communicating and the pup is nursing. Callie is a first-time mom, but she is doing very well. We think that Callie, having watched both Zoey and Maggie with their pups, has learned how to care for her pup. Right now, she is being very protective while and she and the pup rest on the deck. She barks aggressively if she thinks keepers are getting to close,”  Mr. Kacprzyk continued. “The other Sea Lions are keeping a safe distance until Callie is comfortable with them being near her pup.”

Keepers will not interfere with Callie raising her pup unless they suspect the baby isn’t nursing or communicating with mom. The mortality rate for Sea Lion pups is 10 to 15 percent in the first month, so keepers and vet staff are keeping a close eye on mother and baby.

Photo Credit: Pittsburgh Zoo/PPG Aquarium

Meet Merlot, the Orphan Harbor Seal Pup

Merlot was found on the mudflats outside of Tyonek, Alaska this past Saturday morning. There had recently been a storm in the area and rescuers spent the day trying to find the pup's mother. When none was found, the little girl was flown up to Anchorage and then driven down to the Alaska SeaLife Center. When she arrived she was less than 48 hours old and only weighed 7.5 kilos (16.53 lbs.)

For those of you experiencing déjà vu, Alaska SeaLife Center rescued another young Harbor Seal, named Gouda, two weeks ago. ASLC is naming all of their rescues this year after wines and cheeses!

Gouda Goes for a Swim (more like a splash)

Last week we brought out the story of Gouda, a four day old orphan Harbor Seal pup rescued by the Alaska SeaLife Center. Now just over a week old, Gouda's progress has been great and the little pup is getting stronger everyday. ASL keepers give the baby buckets of ice to help regulate her body temperature, ensuring she doesn't get too warm or too cold. In the video below, Gouda gets some exercise by splashing around in a mixture of salt and freshwater. Harbor seal pups are fast growers and are weaned off of their mothers milk within 4-6 weeks of birth.

Meet Gouda, the Harbor Seal Pup

Photo credits: The Alaska SeaLife Center

Meet Gouda, a Harbor seal pup only 4 days old! She was first observed in Seward Harbor on Saturday night and was brought into the Alaska SeaLife Center on Sunday with part of her umbilical cord still attached. She has already started gaining weight and is now able to splash around in a tote filled with some warm salt water.

Partially Blind Harbor Seal Proves a Perfect Mother

On April 13, eight-year old Harbor Seal Gracie, gave birth to a bouncing baby pup in a special birthing pool. Gracie arrived at the Albuquerque BioPark in 2004 after sustaining a gunshot wound which caused significant eyesight loss. BioPark staff were concerned that her impaired eyesight might be a problem in motherhood, but Gracie relies on her other senses to communicate. “Seals use scent and vocalization, so we’re finding that her eyesight is not an issue at all,” said Lynn Tupa, Zoo Manager. “The pup is so cute. She nurses often and communicates with mom constantly, so there is a lot of vocalization. Usually after nursing, they play in the pool together.”

Photo credits: Katie Mast, courtesy of ABQ BioPark

The pup will remain off exhibit with her mother in the birthing pool until able to eat solid food. See more below the fold...

Australia's Newest Little Sea Lion Pup

In the United States we are familiar with the California Sea Lion, but Australia has its own species, the aptly named Australian Sea Lion. Unlike its North American cousin, this species is endangered so Australian zoos are doing their part to bring awareness to conservation efforts and help rebuild the population. The Adelaide Zoo welcomed a new Australian Sea Lion pup over Halloween. 

The yet to be named female pup was born to first time Mum, Ady. Both are doing very well but unfortunately Ady did not accept her baby, which was a possibility known to her keepers. Carnivore keeper, Arliah Hayward said, “This is not an uncommon occurrence for first time mothers who have been hand-raised, meaning the mother does not have the maternal instincts to raise a pup on her own. “It is always our goal to have mother and baby together, however in this circumstance it was best for the survival of the pup that keepers intervened,” said Ms. Hayward. The pup is now in the care of Adelaide Zoo’s Animal Health Clinic and keepers.

Photo credits: Zoos South Australia

 

Baby Sea Lion Dives Right In

As we have pointed out in the past, Sea Lion pups do not know how to swim at birth and must be taught by mom. Oftentimes the pups are cautious about approaching the water but not this little guy. Not even two weeks old, the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium's newest baby Sea Lion dives right in and bops around, albeit a bit awkwardly. This is the first pup for mother Maggie and only the second at the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium, so staff are keeping a watchful eye on the talkative and active pup.

Read more below the fold.

Orphaned California Sea Lion Pups Find a Home at Brookfield Zoo

The two unnamed female pups, born on June 7 and June 10, were abandoned by their moms at a popular tourist attraction—Pier 39 in San Francisco—which is a highly unusual place for a California sea lion to give birth. Lucky for them, they were rescued by staff from The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, California, eventually making their way to the Chicago Zoological Society's Brookfield Zoo. The pups are off exhibit for the moment while they get used to their new home but are doing great so far!

Read the whole story and see more pictures below the fold

First Ever Harbor Seal Birth for Los Angeles

Last month, a male Harbor Seal was born at the Los Angeles Zoo; this marks the Zoo’s first success at breeding Harbor Seals. The baby will remain off exhibit with his mother, Asia, until he is old enough to be introduced to the other adult seals. The pup’s father, Alfred, is a blind harbor seal that was discovered in 2007 on the shores of Cape May Point, N.J. 

Photo Credits: Tad Motoyama