A dock worker videotaped a seal giving birth at Comox Valley Marina, and said two more pups have been born since.
Valley resident Steven Spence patrols the marina as part of his job. He told the Record he recently encountered a seal acting strangely.
“She was looking a bit agitated,” said Spence. “You could see her lactating, so you could tell somethin’ was up.”
Spence knows that sign of labour, he said, because he grew up on a farm. To him, the seal was “obviously pregnant.”
“So I basically hid behind a boat, and watched her roll around,” he said. He snapped a video, and later posted it to social media.
The July 26 video sparked nearly 300 reactions and 40 comments on a Comox Valley Wildlife group. All comments had a similar message:
“Wow thanks for sharing this beautiful miracle :),” said user Beatriz Ayala.
The marina has seen at least two additional births since Spence recorded the video, he said. According to the marina worker, seals love the dock because they can wedge themselves into nooks, and they smell salmon that is regularly “cleaned” nearby.
“I see these guys every day through the week, pretty much,” he said.
The mother and pups are usually spotted at a pair of vacant jet ski docks, which are easy to jump on for the babies.
ALSO: Eagle electrocution turns heads at Comox Valley beach
connor.mcdowell@comoxvalleyrecord.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.