A seal 15 miles from Salt Water in a small river (1 Viewer)

I got a new lens in the mail yesterday to go with my new camera and hopefully get some bird photos.

I was on my deck playing with the camera, when a Seal showed up. Bear in mind I am many miles from salt water, one mile from a fresh water Salmon and Steelhead hatchery. I don't know if any seals have ever been reported this far up the river. He didn't appear to be unhappy.

I did alert NOAA's (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association) OPR, (Office of Protected Resources), oy vey, as well as some other State, and non-State actors. I'm hoping the right folks get involved, or he finds his way back downstream before some local fisherman goes "vigilante" on the poor creature.

I thought it was a Harbor Seal, which do make their way into this river, much further downstream. Now, looking at the dark color, and Leopard like spots, I'm less sure. There are a lot of scientists on this board, and I'd love to read what they have to say.

I took a million photos. Here are a few.

In the UK we quite often get seals in freshwater quite some distance from the sea, and sometimes they have passed through several locks.

The furthers I know was about 65 miles upstream, but there may be some even further than that.

Mark

Looks like a Harbor Seal (Common Seal in UK till Atlantic/Pacific forms get split anyway) , they do quite commonly get up particularly the rivers through the Fens.

Seals have also been known to get into Loch Lomond, which requires negotiating rapids.

Still an interesting occurrence.

John

yep...there are even some freshwater populations in Canada and Alaska. I wouldn't worry too much about the health of the animal