PRELUDE TO A PUP

Sweet Dreams

The life of a harbor seal pup is a busy one, but there’s always time for naps! Walnut spent his early weeks nursing, bonding with mom, and learning the skills he’ll need to thrive in his watery world.

Prelude to a Pup

by BRENDA SCOTT ROYCE photos by JAMIE PHAM

Every animal at the Zoo has a story—and for newborns, that story often begins long before their birth or hatching. That’s certainly the case with Walnut, a male harbor seal born in April. It’s impossible to tell this pup’s tale without a nod to his parents, both of whom have dramatic stories of their own.

The pup’s pop, Alfred (below), was rescued off the coast of New Jersey. Blind due to injuries sustained in the wild, he was also severely underweight—likely the result of his inability to catch fish. He was rehabilitated at the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, but due to his blindness he was deemed non-releasable. The search was on for a permanent home, and the Zoo’s newly constructed Sea Life Cliffs habitat was the perfect fit. Alfred arrived here in the fall of 2007.

“The wild is unforgiving, and for many animals it would have been the end of the story,” says Animal Keeper Bryan Martinez. “Fortunately for Alfred, and us, he found his way to the Zoo.” With patience and creativity, the staff helped the blind seal learn to navigate his new surroundings. “Alfred provided a unique challenge for his keepers because he experienced his environment through touch and sound. He was an incredible training partner and often taught his keepers a few things along the way.” Mom Ziggy has a similar against-the-odds survival story. She was rescued as a day-old pup from a rocky stretch of coast in Dana Point in February 2016, her umbilical cord still attached. Her rescuers from the Pacific Marine Mammal Center (PMMC) in Laguna Beach weren’t certain what happened to Ziggy’s mother but knew something was seriously amiss. Adult harbor seals are usually solitary, but during pupping season females gather in huge groups at breeding sites known as “rookeries.” They haul out onto the beach and give birth at roughly the same time. “There’s safety in numbers,” says Director of Animal Programs Beth Schaefer of seals’ synchronized births.

So, to find a newborn alone, away from a rookery, was cause for concern. It was also a bit early in the season for harbor seal births in southern California. PMMC staff monitored the pup for a while, and when it became clear that its mother wasn’t returning, made the difficult decision to remove her from the wild. They brought her to PMMC for rehabilitation, bottle-feeding her five or six times a day before transitioning her to a diet of fish.

Due to her history, Ziggy was also unlikely to survive in the wild. Nine months after her rescue, she made the move to the Los Angeles Zoo, where she joined Alfred and the other harbor seals at Sea Life Cliffs.

MATCHMAKER, MATCHMAKER

The decision to pair Alfred and Ziggy came from the harbor seal Species Survival Plan (SSP). Created by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), SSPs cooperatively manage zoo animals to ensure sustainable, genetically diverse populations. The Zoo currently participates in more than 120 SSPs, among them the critically endangered Western lowland gorilla, blue-throated macaw, and radiated tortoise.

SSPs are often likened to computer dating programs, since breeding recommendations are based on computer analyses. But rather than comparing likes and dislikes, they are primarily looking at lineage. Knowing who’s related to whom is crucial to making sound matchmaking decisions and ensuring maximum genetic variability. Other factors taken into consideration are space, logistics, demographics, and the maintenance of natural social groupings. As Ziggy and Alfred were both wild-born, their potential offspring would enhance the genetic diversity of the overall zoo population.

Not all breeding recommendations result in the pitter-patter of little feet (or flippers, as the case may be). A match may make sense on paper, but the animals in question lack chemistry. Ziggy and Alfred had always gotten along, and by October 2021, their caregivers began to suspect a pregnancy was possible.

There are no foolproof pregnancy tests for most exotic animals; more often, physical and behavioral changes are the only indications that a female is expecting. When the small-bodied seal began putting on weight, Zoo Veterinarian Dr. Jordan Davis-Powell (above) performed an ultrasound and confirmed the keepers’ suspicions.

BY THE BOOK

The last harbor seal birth at the Zoo had occurred 12 years earlier, before the seals’ current crop of caregivers were assigned to Sea Life Cliffs. It would be a first for Ziggy, too. “With a first-time mom, you never know if she’s going to have those natural maternal instincts,” says Senior Animal Keeper Mallory Peebles. Ziggy had never even witnessed a birth or been around mothers with pups. “So, you have to prepare for multiple ‘what if’ scenarios.”

Animal Care staff quickly set to work creating a birth plan, drawing on the expertise of Zoo curators, veterinary staff, and keepers, as well as other facilities that house harbor seals. “A lot of minds went into the process,” says Peebles, adding that her team made a field trip to the Marine Mammal Center in San Pedro as part of their research.

Animal Keeper Olivia Yuska took the lead in preparing written protocols for the team. The extensive document addressed all possible outcomes. “If the pup stays with mom, this is the protocol; if we need to intervene, this is what that will look like,” she explains. “And if we’re going to hand-rear the pup, there’s another set of guidelines.”

Dr. Davis-Powell compiled a similar document for the veterinary side of the equation, outlining potential medical interventions and under what circumstances each might be advised. “I read the literature and exchanged notes with the keepers, and then we decided what was our approach and what made sense for the L.A. Zoo.”

TRAINING DAYS

With a baby on the way, the Sea Life Cliffs crew added maternal training to Ziggy’s program. Like many zoo animals, the harbor seals receive regular behavioral

training. Using positive reinforcement techniques, keepers coach animals to participate in a variety of behaviors that facilitate their care—such as getting on a scale, presenting various body parts for examination, and sitting still for blood draws or vaccinations. This voluntary training allows animal care staff to perform routine health checks without anesthetizing the animals. It also provides cognitive challenges and promotes physical exercise.

Using a sea lion plush as a stand-in for Ziggy’s future baby (a harbor seal plush was deemed too plump), keepers introduced behaviors that would allow them to intervene if necessary. “For example, we would have Ziggy lay there while we put the ‘pup’ in position for nursing,” says Martinez. “So, she’d be used to our presence in case we needed to assist with the rearing of the pup.”

BABY ON BOARD

The mom-to-be was closely monitored throughout her pregnancy. Every few weeks, Dr. Davis-Powell visited Sea Life Cliffs to perform an ultrasound. “We’d check the heartbeat, see how big the pup was growing, and make sure everything was progressing normally,” she says. These routine exams had another important purpose: to reinforce Ziggy’s training and maintain her comfort level with veterinary staff. “So, if there was a chance something went wrong, she would let us get hands on.”

Weeks passed and Ziggy grew … and grew. “She gained a lot more than we anticipated,” Martinez says. “She almost doubled her weight.”

“It wasn't that she was getting fat,” Peebles points out. “It’s that she was tiny before.”

The team’s research indicated that petite females can have difficulty in labor, a concern amplified by the fact that Alfred was significantly larger than Ziggy. Despite her growing size, Ziggy remained mobile and eager to participate in training sessions throughout her pregnancy.

WAITING GAME

The peculiar reproductive biology of harbor seals makes it difficult to predict when labor will occur. Schaefer explains, “Their gestation can be anywhere from nine to

DONOR SPOTLIGHT

From the Mouths of Babes

Walnut the seal’s adorable name has an equally adorable origin story.

Earlier this year, Baldwin and In-hae Yen were debating what to name their newborn daughter when the baby’s big sister, four-year-old Elliott, chimed in, “Sweetheart Walnut— that’s the most beautiful name!”

The Yens christened their infant Morgan instead.

A few months later, Baldwin learned that the Zoo had welcomed a new harbor seal pup—and that the opportunity to name the seal was available through GLAZA’s Animal Naming Program.

In addition to being regular zoo visitors, the Yens also supported the Zoo through the SKB Foundation, a philanthropic family foundation started by Baldwin’s parents.

At first, Baldwin resisted the naming notion. With two daughters, he couldn’t choose just one name. Then he decided on “Walnut,” a shortened version of Elliott’s suggested name for Morgan.

The name not only honors both Yen girls, it also perfectly suits the seal pup, whose personality is a little “nutty,” according to his keepers.

Funds from GLAZA’s Animal Naming Program support animal care programs at the Zoo. It’s a cause near and dear to Baldwin’s heart. “Zoos are amazing places,” he says. “They’re necessary to help children form a better connection to animals, and thus help with conservation efforts. It's one thing to read about animals and see cute pictures of them. But seeing them in person is such a different experience. It makes a real, visceral connection.”

One thing is certain: Elliott and Morgan will always have a special connection to Walnut, a sweetheart of a seal.

HOW YOU CAN NAME AN ANIMAL

Animal naming opportunities are available for donations of $1,000 to $25,000, depending on the species. To learn more, contact Danika Jensen at (323) 486-1352 or djensen@lazoo.org.