Attack of the vampire seal!!

Yesterday we were catching seals and putting them into kennels to transport them to our release spot (we released 7 seals!!). I was helping try and get these heavy (most close to 70 lbs... some over) seals into kennels. This is a difficult task, and during trying to wrestle Fritz into his kennel he turned and in a split second bit me on the left wrist. The bite is quite deep, it penetrated my entire dermis, so I could see down to my muscle. I have been taking steps to make sure that it doesn't get infected (seal finger is a possibility, however with all the supplies we have here I'm not worried about it). I now have a nice little vampire looking bite on my wrist. I hope it scars because if you're going to get bit by a seal, it might as well scar so you have evidence of the tale, right! :P



In other news, we got a new seal in a few days ago. It was about 30 some lbs when she came in (she was named Harrington), so she has only been on fish mash for a few days and is now on whole fish. I don't know how much longer they'll have her in iso, but I don't think it'll be very long as she's quite big at this stage.

Also, the other day I went into Ganges (the main town on the island) to pick up a Cooper's Hawk from the water taxi. There were a bunch of high school kids coming in on the taxi from other islands (I have been told this is the only high school amongst the Gulf Islands) and one of the students brought the hawk with him in a box. The poor thing has head trauma and has a bit of a tick (it moves it head back and forth like it's reading something). We have been tube feeding it as it still isn't feeding on it's own. It doesn't even move when you approach it in the kennel. It is a juvenile, but has all of its adult coloration at this point (at least as far as I know). :)

Twice now during browsing (collecting browse for the fawns) I have been a part of finding a bird and bringing it in. The first time Saff and I were out and a robin was standing in the middle of the road and I actually had to swerve to miss it. We pulled over and Saff walked over to it and put her vest over it and picked it up, the whole time it didn't even flinch. The whole ride back to the Centre it didn't move. We we got back Yoch was checking it out (seeing if a wing was broken etc.) and it was making some noises, which we took as being fluid in the lungs. Once she put it in the basket it twitched its head and two sizable berries flew out! It then tried to take off! It was just choking! I think when Yoch stroked its crop that must have dislodged them. She let it go later that day.

The second time Lauren and I were on the side of the road when a lady pulled over and told us that she had just moved a little bird out of the road and it was in the bushes on the side of the road, and she told us where. We didn't think we'd be able to find it because it was small and she didn't give the best directions. We stopped and got out and in a few seconds after starting to look Lauren found it and picked it up in her gloves. We drove back to the Centre. We think it had head trauma (most likely from hitting a car). It seemed fine that day but it died the next day (most likely had a swollen brain etc.). It was a little fox sparrow.

Last but not least, I have decided to head out a few days earlier due to the fact that we have much less seals and the fawns were released this morning, so we won't have to browse much more (we still have the one that is too friendly), so things will be even slower around here with less to do. That and because the earlier I get home the earlier David and I can leave on our road trip (so we can have more cushion time for any weather difficulties). :) I love everyone here, and I really love the seals, but I am ready to go. :)