Mitigating the Effects of Maternal Loss on Harbour Seal Pups in Captive Care
Publication Type: |
Journal Article |
Year of Publication: |
2024 |
Authors: |
Susan C. Wilson, Rhiannon Alger |
Publication/Journal: |
Animals |
Keywords: |
captive care, harbour seal, orphan pups, sensitive period, social interaction |
ISBN: |
2076-2615 |
Abstract:
Stranded newborn “orphan” harbour seal pups entering captive care are often maintained for some weeks in isolation, mainly as a precaution against the spread of infection. However, this practice raises concerns for the welfare and normal socialization of pups, who normally spend their first post-natal weeks close to their mothers and other seals. The present study recorded and described the behavior of six paired orphan pups in rehabilitation up to about five weeks of age, provided with free access to water and haul-out areas. The occurrences of resting, following, nosing and body contacts, and aquatic play were recorded and compared qualitatively and quantitatively with the same behaviors of free-living pups with their mothers. The pups entered the water every day, although more often from about 2.5 weeks of age. They displayed to each other the same behaviors that free-living pups display to their mothers, although they engaged in relatively more physical contact, body nosing, and aquatic play. The study has shown that orphan pups maintained in pairs with free water access can act reciprocally as mother substitutes, thereby promoting species-typical primary socialization and welfare during their early days of captive care.