Mystic Aquarium Announces Birth of New Harbor Seal Pup and He's Too Cute
It's a big day for the Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, Connecticut. The aquarium recently announced the arrival of a brand new harbor seal pup. And celebrated their new addition with an adorable video introduction online.
The seal pup has yet to be named, but that doesn't mean his birth didn't make a huge splash.
In a video released by the aquarium, it shows the pup learning how to move around on dry land before attempting to get into the pool. The clip then shows the seal splashing around with his mama Pearl — so cute! You can even see the seal plunge into the water while his mama watches over on a platform above him.
"We're excited to share that a Harbor seal pup was born at Mystic Aquarium on Mothers Day! How cute is he!?" the aquarium wrote in the caption.
According to WPRI, the seal pup was born only weeks ago on May 12. Meaning that at just weeks old, the little guy is swimming like a pro! The seal was born to Pearl, an adult Harbor seal who has been at the Mystic Aquarium for the last 12 years.
“We couldn’t be more excited. He’s healthy, he’s strong and he’s feisty,” Laurie Macha, senior director of marine mammals and birds, told the news outlet.
This isn't the first seal pup that Pearl has had while at the Mystic Aquarium. In fact, this latest seal pup is the mom's second baby. Pearl has been deemed a successful breeder by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan. Even more impressively, the seal mama gave birth within 15 minutes — a record if you ask us!
The seal pup was born weighing 12 kilograms and showed immediate signs that it was healthy. The aquarium said the pup was alert and active pretty soon after birth, which they claimed was “an encouraging sign of health and vitality.”
As the video shows, both Pearl and her baby are doing well post-birth. And their handlers are impressed by the infant's progress too.
“The pup has been thriving with his mom, so giving them both access to water has been very exciting,” Jen Rock, assistant supervisor of pinnipeds, explained to WPRI.
“The team enjoyed watching the pup enter the water and see his instincts kick in by swimming right away," she added. "Pearl was great watching over him closely and teaching him how to dive and ensure he hauled out onto the beach when needed.”
We can't wait to see even more "pup-dates" of the seal in the future.
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