# Raising and Releasing a Single Orphaned Harbour Seal Pup—A Case Report

## TL;DR

A male harbor seal pup raised by humans instead of its mother successfully adapted to the wild, showing normal behavior and survival skills.

## Contribution

This case report demonstrates that human care can effectively replace maternal care in orphaned harbor seal pups without affecting their wild behavior.

## Key findings

- The pup developed physically well and formed a strong bond with human carers during rehabilitation.
- After release, the seal successfully hunted, grew, and integrated into wild seal groups.
- At age four, the seal displayed typical socio-sexual behavior and bonded with a wild female seal.

## Abstract

Many studies on animals, but also humans, show that early separation from their mothers causes considerable stress for pups and has negative physical and behavioural effects. At the same time, studies indicate that these consequences can at least be mitigated through appropriate physical attention. In this case report, we describe the successful rehabilitation of an orphaned male harbour seal pup, in which maternal care was replaced with intensive human care. The pup developed well physically and established a close relationship with its keepers, characterised by frequent physical contact and hand suckling. During the final rehabilitation phase in a large outdoor enclosure, the pup’s bond to its carers gradually diminished. Following its release, long-term observations over four years showed that the seal pup hunted successfully, developed well physically, and integrated well into existing wild seal groups. At the age of four, he showed the normal socio-sexual behaviour described for subadult male harbour seals and maintained a close bond with a wild female seal for several months. The report shows that the rehabilitation of orphaned harbour seal pups is possible by replacing maternal care with human care without the animal becoming attached to humans or altering species-specific behaviour, thus maintaining their chances of survival and eventually reproducing in the wild.

Well-founded animal models of maternal separation show that early postnatal separation from the mother represents a massive stress factor for the offspring, with far-reaching negative effects on their physical and behavioural development. However, studies also show that the effects of maternal separation can be at least mitigated by appropriate physical attention. In this case report, we document the successful rehabilitation of a single orphaned male harbour seal pup by attempting to substitute natural maternal attention with intensive human attention. The pup underwent excellent physical development and displayed a close bond with its carers, characterised by intensive physical contact and suckling on a carer’s hand. However, during the final rehabilitation phase in a large outdoor enclosure, the pup increasingly reduced its affiliation to its carers. After its release, long-term observations over four years documented its hunting success, corresponding optimal physical development, and successful integration into existing wild seal groups. At the age of four, the now sub-adult seal displayed socio-sexual behaviour that is typical for this age and maintained a close bond with a wild female seal for months. The report shows that the rehabilitation of orphaned seals is possible by substituting maternal care with human care, resulting in neither a fixation on humans nor modifying species-specific behaviour. Thus, the pup’s chances of survival and potential reproduction in the wild were not jeopardised by this method of rehabilitation.