I must have taken (easily) 200 photos of this adorable Harp Seal on my recent trip to PTown, long before I’d even photographed a single BIRD!
He looked so incredibly relaxed and happy, lying there on the sand.
I found him so utterly captivating, those flippers were outa’ this world!
But don’t take my word for it…
Just take a look at this slideshow, and tell me if this little guy isn’t THE CUTEST!
❤
SO excited to share a “new life mammal” I met the other day in PTown — a juvenile harp seal!
After sharing my photos with them, IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare) told me that it looks to be an individual that’s been weaned from its mom for at least a year.
Also known as “Saddleback Seals” because of the saddle shaped markings on the backs of the adults…
Some of these seals come down from the Arctic and North Atlantic oceans during the winter months to visit us here on the Cape.
And aren’t WE, the “lucky ones”?
Just LOOK at these gorgeous flippers! 😉
Their Latin name, Pagophilus groenlandicu…
Literally means, “ice-loving seal of Greenland.”
This one, captured my heart, as you will see by the images.
And there are more images to come…
SO many more, lol! ❤ ❤ ❤
Well there I was, photographing Sanderlings along the shore at Bank Street Beach.
When I spotted something ahead on the jetty that was definitely larger than a bird.
Although this gull who suddenly flew in, seemed determined to prove me wrong! 😉
I’d only ever seen seals down at the fish pier in Chatham, but I knew it was a Harbor Seal.
Yet because I had never seen one here at Bank Street, I wasn’t sure if he was simply enjoying the setting sunshine…
Or if there was something wrong with him.
So, I called Wild Care of Cape Cod, then IFAW, two of my favorite wildlife organizations here on the Cape.
IFAW asked me to take a few pics, if I could, and email them in when I got home to my computer.
Could I??
I tried to get different angles, different views, as he turned, this way and then that…
Several times, he appeared to be trying to snooze a bit.
Yet the whole time, he was very much aware of me.
Somehow, by his eyes and demeanor, I could tell he knew I was not a threat.
That I meant him no harm, which could not have been more true.
Little could he have known, I was a FAN!
And when he “waved” at me, well…
I was over the MOON!
The following day I was relieved to hear from IFAW that this appeared to be an individual that was doing well.
In fact, he’d been spotted again, in Hyannis, looking healthy.
Whew!
Once I knew that, I could relax, and enjoy the sheer Beauty of this amazing sea mammal who happened to cross my path.
One glorious winter’s day. ❤
Images of Cape Cod 