A ringed male rescued from a Beaufort Sea oil field is now being treated at the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward.
Jane Belovarac, the wildlife response curator for the center, said the response reflects the complexity of wildlife response in Alaska.
“Our priority with live animals is always to rehabilitate, release and see animals thrive in the wild,” she said on Jan. 30. “When relocation efforts in situations like this are unsuccessful, and the animal remaining in place is not safe, we are prepared to provide the specialized care needed to ensure their well-being.”
The seal was rescued on Dec. 17. He is the ASLC’s first ringed seal in more than four years and one of only 30 ringed seals admitted to the center in its 25-year history.
The ice extending along the coast of Alaska’s Beaufort Sea is a remote Arctic region where winter sea ice extends miles from shore and is often stacked by high winds, making it unlikely that humans could safely escort the seal to open water.
In the rescue effort, crews at the oil field used an auger to drill breathing holes in the ice to encourage the seal to access the sea. Although the seal placed his head in the open holes, he did not swim away. When the seal was found moving into areas with heavy machinery, and taking into account the seasonal low light conditions, he was placed into a crate to prevent accidental injury from vehicles. With continued risk to the animal, NOAA Fisheries authorized transport to the ASLC for rehabilitation.
The seal, part of the Arctic subspecies listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, was first observed by oil field operators. Staff contacted NOAA Fisheries, the federal agency that manages the area, for guidance.
