A tiny seal pup found on Denman Island has already had a busy first week.
At the end of May, oyster farmers at Baynes Sound Oyster Co. found a seal pup that needed help in Denman Island, British Columbia. After the company called for wildlife support, the Marine Animal Response Society organized a medevac for the pup through Harbour Air.
By June 1, she had arrived at the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society. Staff named the pup Bayne after the oyster farmers who rescued her.
According to the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society, Bayne is its first female seal pup of 2026.
The rescue society said Bayne’s transfer was only possible “because of incredible community support like this.”
“It takes a village,” they said.
When aquarium staff called Baynes Sound Oyster Co. to thank them, they also raised another issue.
“During those conversations, we mentioned another challenge we were facing: finding foods that our newest sea otter patient would actually eat,” the aquarium posted to Instagram on June 2. “Less than 12 hours later, they sent a cooler overflowing with fresh clams and crab.”
The aquarium said the food was for a sea otter named Clamato. In an Instagram video, Clamato can be seen eating a whole crab, slapping it on his stomach and pulling it apart with his paws and teeth.
“Needless to say,” the aquarium wrote, “it was a huge hit.”
In a follow-up Instagram post on June 4, the aquarium shared more about Bayne’s condition.
“Bayne is what we call a lanugo pup, meaning she is still covered in the thick, blonde fur that is typically shed before birth,” the aquarium explained. “When harbor seal pups are born with their full lanugo coat, it often indicates that they were born prematurely.”
“Premature pups can have difficulty regulating their body temperature and maintaining healthy blood glucose levels, so Bayne is being closely monitored by our animal care team as she settles into rehabilitation.”
The post ended with: “Welcome to the rescue center, Bayne! We’re rooting for you!”
Harbor seals are among the most common marine mammals along coastlines in the United States and Canada. The source text says their populations have remained stable despite changing ocean temperatures related to climate change, human-related disturbances and entanglement in fishing gear, thanks to protections under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
The rescue society invited people who want to support Bayne, Clamato and other marine animals in its care to visit its website.
Read more from GoodGoodGood.
