Ocean Sentry
(From king5.com) Olimpia- If you see a harbor seal pup that appears to be abandoned on the beach, stay away from it. That”s the message from the Central Puget Sound Marine Mammal Stranding Network. Human disturbance near the pup may cause stress and delay the mother”s return because of natural wariness. The best thing you can do is leave the pup alone and keep your distance so mom will return. All marine mammals are protected by law. Violators of the Marine Mammal Protection Act may be subject to a civil penalty of as much as $10,000 for each violation; or criminal prosecution with a fine of as much as $100,000 or imprisonment for as much as one year, or both.
If the pup has been unattended for 48 hours, or is clearly in distress (injured), contact the Central Puget Sound Marine Mammal Stranding Network at 1-866-ORCANET or 360-678-3451, or NMFS a 1-206-526-6733.
