Harbor Seals

These cute little guys have so much personality, and they love to follow people around the docks. They seem convinced that we are going to clean fish and give them the excess. Amazingly, the seals know the difference between fishing and luxury boats, since they target the fishing boats. Because of this behavior, my son has nick named them Sea Dogos. Their begging and big brown eyes reminds him of our dogs. There have been times when the seals won’t stop begging until we show them that our hands are empty. They are certainly friendly. I would not be surprised if one tried to jump in the boat if they spotted a fish on board. Let’s hope that never happens!

We have seen seals in many colors, including white, grey and brown. Seals are the most commonly seen mammals in Puget Sound, which is not surprising, considering their boat chasing skills! Harbor seals are seen year round, which is great, because the friendly varities add entertainment on the water. They are excited to get our attention, or more precisely, our fish. It’s documented that seals eat over 70 different species in Puget Sound, including salmon, flounder and cod. Wow, I am sure I don’t personally even know of 40 species living in Puget Sound. We have a lot to learn! I’ve observed seagulls following the seals. It appears that the gulls are hoping the seal will make a catch and share their bounty or maybe they just like those big brown eyes.