Release

The primary goal of the Vancouver Aquarium’s Marine Mammal Rescue and Rehabilitation Program is to provide housing and care for ill, injured, or abandoned marine mammals and rehabilitate them for release back into their natural habitat.

Criteria for Release

Before an animal is determined to be ready for release, it must meet certain criteria. These criteria have been established to ensure that only healthy, competent marine mammals are released into wild populations, and to give our patients the best possible chance of long-term survival.

Each marine mammal patient must be clinically healthy and free from disease before release. A thorough medical examination is performed on each animal to ensure there are no abnormalities that could impede their survival in the wild, and to ensure that no diseases will be passed on to wild populations.

Each release candidate must have achieved a satisfactory weight. Especially in the case of harbour seal pups, our patients are often underweight when they arrive at the Rehabilitation Centre. Marine mammals rely on their blubber (fat) to keep them warm, as well as to provide a source of calories when food is scarce (An exception to this is the sea otters, which do not store excess fat under their skin. Sea otters rely on their thick fur to keep them warm, and must have a constant food supply.).

The animals must also be behaviourally competent, and able to feed on their own. All marine mammal patients are given “live fish trials” before release, to test how well they can hunt and catch live feed.

 

Release Day

Release days are very rewarding for the staff and volunteers who have worked so hard to help a marine mammal become healthy and strong.

The animals are taken to various release sites, carefully selected by the Marine Mammal Rescue and Rehabilitation team, in the Salish Sea. Release locations are usually sheltered, calm bays or coves, where newly released animals can take some time to readjust to life in the wild.

Hosting a seal release is a meaningful way to directly support the work of the Marine Mammal Rescue Centre. Hosts can invite family members and friends to ‘sponsor’ an animal and have a hands-on role returning one or more marine mammals to the wild.  Locations can include secluded marine parks, private boats, or private waterfront property.  For more information, please contact Margot Paris, External Relations at 604 659-3787 margot.paris@vanaqua.org.

 

Post-Release Tracking

Each marine mammal is given a unique piece of jewelry before they are released; a small orange plastic tag is placed between the webbing of their hind flippers.

This tag has a number on it, which will identify the animal if it is sighted in the wild.