The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) Marine Unit and the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society (VAMMR) rescued an abandoned harbour seal pup near Bowen Island on the evening of July 21, according to the news release.
According to the news release, VAMMR requested urgent assistance at 5 p.m. on July 21 after a visitor on Bowen Island spotted a lone, distressed seal pup on the shoreline at Seymour Bay, near Cowan Point.
VPD officers deployed the VPD Marine vessel Larry Young to transport three veterinary technicians to the area, arriving at 6:50 p.m. Officers executed a beach landing that allowed the veterinary team to safely secure the newborn female pup.
The week-old pup, named “Canadian Bacon,” was transported back to the VAMMR facility for medical treatment. She remains under close medical care, and VAMMR is cautiously optimistic she can return to the wild in a few months.
With harbour seals currently giving birth, authorities remind the public that mothers often leave pups on shore to rest. Anyone who spots a seal pup is asked to stay well back, keep dogs on a leash, and avoid attempting a rescue. Sightings can be reported directly to VAMMR at 604-258-7325.
