The Seward facility began housing five seals found in the Cook Inlet area and another that was rescued in Juneau.

The rehabilitation center in Seward doesn’t usually get bearded seals, which live much farther north.

After admitting a sick ringed seal from Unalaska, veterinarians at the Alaska SeaLife Center are cautiously optimistic about his chances for recovery.

A parasite-riddled seal afraid of the water is the first Alaska marine mammal rescued in 2017. The seal will not be returned to the wild if it continues to survive rehabilitation at the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward.

Scientist Rod Towell has been part of the fur seal counts since 1992. He said the difference at the rookeries is striking. Northern fur seal pup production has hit its lowest level since 1915.