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Lolita
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Phoca vitulina
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Tracking Map
(COMING SOON) |
Tracking Data
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On May 29th, oil industry
workers from Cook Inlet pipeline Co. were following bear
tracks on the beach, south of Drift River in western Cook
Inlet when they came across a seal pup washed up above the
high tide line. The co-workers called the Alaska SeaLife
Center's (ASLC) wildlife rehabilitation hot line for help,
and they also e-mailed a digital photo of the animal to
rehabilitation staff at the Center. Dr. Natalie Noll used
the digital photo to help determine the pup's condition.
The seal appeared dehydrated and emaciated and would need
immediate assistance.
The seal pup was flown to Kenai Municipal
Airport and picked up by ASLC rehabilitation staff. Lolita,
nicknamed by Center staff members, was given fluids and
electrolytes and then weaned onto a seal formula. During
Lolita's rehabilitation time, she was slowly weaned off
of formula and onto fish. Initially she refused the fish,
but ASLC staff used lots of patience and teaching to finally
convince the picky eater that she did, in fact, like fish.
By early August, Lolita had demonstrated that
she was ready to return to the wild. She was given a clean
bill of health and then tagged in two places: a flipper
tag was attached to her hind right flipper with an ID number
and ASLC contact information, and a satellite telemetry
device was glued to her back. This satellite tag monitors
dive time, depth and location. Satellite telemetry allows
research, education staff, and now you to follow Lolita
through her natural environment. On August 7, 2001, Lolita
was transported to Northwestern Glacier in the Alaska Maritime
Wildlife Refuge by rehabilitation staff with the assistance
of Kenai Fjords Tours. Lolita was released near a wild population
of harbor seals and is expected to do well.
