Music legend Collins takes as taste of Cow Bay Athletes bring home medal haul from provincials
LIVING, Page 12 HOME OF THE
$5,000
SPORTS, Page 30
Monthly Givea way
bowmel.com
461 T.C.H., Duncan
250.748.8144
BRING IN THIS COUP
ON register for a test drive and receive a $25 GAS CARD from BowMel Chyrsler Coupon must be
presented. One per cus No cash value. No purcha tom se necessary. Offer exp er per visit. ires 07/31/2013
Serving the Cowichan Valley
www.cowichanvalleycitizen.com
Friday, July 26, 2013
Duncan connections save orphaned baby seal TAGGED: Cowichan Bay woman gets attention of Mammal Rescue Centre through Facebook post, Duncan childhood SARAH SIMPSON CITIZEN
Social media serves a lot of functions, but few could have predicted its involvement in the rescue of a baby seal in Cowichan Bay. After days of concern from afar, on Wednesday, Deena Skinner, the Oceanfront Suites hotel’s director of sales, took to Facebook to solicit advice about a tiny seal she’d been seeing on the beach. “Does this look like a healthy baby seal? Does anyone know? We don’t see mom around,” she related. It just so happened that Sion Cahoon, who grew up in Duncan, had been tagged by a mutual friend in one of the messages. Cahoon now lives in Vancouver and is a veterinary technician with the Vancouver Aquarium’s Marine Mammal Rescue Centre. She replied to the Facebook plea and Skinner called Cahoon directly. After trading questions and getting Skinner to send photographs and video, Cahoon determined the seal needed help. “She had been receiving reports about this baby since July 21,” Skinner said. “At that stage the baby had been three days without mom and had been reported suckling on the bottom of boats, which is an indication they’re looking for anything for a food source and comfort.” After a week motherless, the animal’s fortunes were about to change. Following Cahoon’s directions to the letter, Skinner collected the
HOME OF THE
Facebook connected Duncan product Sion Cahoon (above), now a veterinary technician with the Vancouver Aquarium’s Marine Mammal Rescue Centre, with Oceanfront Suites staffer Deena Skinner to help rescue Hydra, an orphaned newborn seal from the beach at Cowichan Bay on Wednesday. [SUBMITTED] newborn animal in a Rubbermaid bin until an animal crate could be found. Meanwhile, aquarium staff worked with Harbour Air to fly the orphaned animal to Vancouver for treatment.
W $5,000 O W
Monthly Giveaway
Asked to avoid physical contact with the seal when possible, all Skinner could do was sing lullabies to the scared animal as she drove it from Cowichan Bay to Maple Bay for the 5:45 p.m. flight
to Vancouver. It was Harbour Air pilot Caleb Laban’s second such mission. He remembers flying a seal from Nanaimo to Vancouver a few years ago.
“You never know what kind of mission you’re going to get at Harbour Air when you go to work in the morning,” Laban said, noting the flight from Maple Bay to Vancouver Harbour was uneventful. “It’s all in a day’s work for a Harbour Air pilot,” he said. Within the hour, Skinner was notified the animal was in rescue centre staff’s hands — and just in the nick of time. “They said thankfully we got her when we did,” Skinner said. “She was only about 15 pounds. Skin was hanging off of her and her umbilical cord was still attached.” Healthy newborn seals generally weigh in around 25 pounds. Aside from the pride of knowing she’d likely saved a life, Skinner also had the honour of naming the female seal. The animals being cared for this year at the rescue centre are all being given names matching the theme of the solar system. “They gave me a list of names to choose from and we decided on Hydra. It kind of tied into us with the ocean and water.” Hydra is one of Pluto’s moons. Lindsaye Akhurst, the Marine Mammal Rescue Centre manager, and yet another Duncan product, said the Facebook connections with friends back home ultimately helped to save the animal. “This was an animal that was brought to our attention through social media,” Akhurst said. See Hydra expected • page 4
FOR JUST $19,990 2013 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN • Air Conditioning • Automatic • Power Windows • Power Keyless Entry • ABS 96 month at 4.99 OAC payments are including tax
bowmel.com 461 Trans Canada Highway. Duncan
250-748-8144
Smart Shoppers read the fine print: Dealer #8385. Up to $4500 more for trade negative equity on trade financed into new contract. Payments are bi-weekly 96mo, 4.49% including taxes and documentation of $399. No payments offer is deferral of payments for time specified. $5000 giveaway no purchase necessary. For Vegas/Gas card offer no two offers can be combined. We trust this satisfies concerned auto dealers in our area.
1-800-461-5337 11 AM - 4 PM FOR
NOW OPEN SUNDAYS
YOUR CONVENIENCE