Some Young Seals Don't Make It

The three found on Swampscott beaches this summer were harbor seals and probably born several months ago.

Katie Pugliares, a senior biologist with the, said the seals were likely born in May or June and failed to thrive.

The term, failed to thrive, refers to animals whose immune system or bodies weren’t up to the rigorous task of survival.

They were not fit and did not survive, she said.

The number of seals found on local beaches and reported to the aquarium this summer is fairly typical, she said.

The most recent one was found Aug. 13 at .

The animal, probably about 30 pounds, likely died offshore or in the intertidal zone and was badly decomposed making it unsuitable for study, she said.

Harbor seals, about 10 pounds at birth, usually nurse for three to four weeks, she said.

They are then on the road to independence with a full set of teeth, and hunt for fish in local waters.

If someone sees a seal that has hauled itself from the water and is on a beach, it is probably a young-of-the-year seal resting, she said.

The more experienced seals haul out on rocks off shore keeping distance between themselves and humans.

Over the weekend at , a crowd of people saw a seal swimming, said Swampscott resident Siobhan Giantis:

 “I was swimming with my daughters at Fisherman's Beach last Saturday, when my daughter Helen said:  ‘Look mommy - a seal!’

“It was swimming and looking around about 25 feet from our location.

“Just about everyone got out of their beach chairs as we watched it continue to swim, looking around, south past the rocks.”

This seal could have been a young seal or an adult.

It is not real unusual for them to venture into the shore area, Pugliares said.