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Leave the seals be
By Norma Jellison, Seal Watch Docent
from the 2006 Sonoma Coast Guide ---------- Spring on the Sonoma Coast is replete with new beginnings. The grass is green, the flowers are blooming, and many animals and birds are producing their young of the year. On Highway One just north of Jenner, there are a couple of pullouts that give a panoramic view of the Russian River as it enters the Pacific Ocean. On the beach below, Goat Rock State Beach, there is a Pacific harbor seal haul out.
On the beach weekends from March to September are the State Park Seal Watch volunteer docents. Visitors are warned to stay at least 50 yards away from the seals. Docents are well-informed about the seals and are available to answer questions. The Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods sponsor the program. The Stewards are a non-profit organization to enhance public enjoyment and volunteer opportunities in the Sonoma Coast State Parks.
The Marine Mammal Protection Act protects harbor seals. They haul out, reoxygenate their blood, rest and sleep during much of the day. This and a thick blubber layer enables them to take deep dives, 300’ plus, and stay under on average 23 minutes, as they forage mostly at night in the cold ocean waters off our coast.
In the springtime, another important reason to keep well away from the harbor seal haul out is the presence of pups. The daytime is critical for the mothers to nurse and bond with their pup, allowing them to recognize their pup if separated. Unlike sea lions that are larger, have earflaps and “bark” a lot, as they lounge on the rocks off the Bodega Bay jetty, harbor seals rarely vocalize. The exception is a barely audible “maa, maa” between the pups and mothers.
It is not unusual to see a pup born on the beach. Gulls and turkey vultures often draw attention to a birth, as they vie for the placenta. The mother seal will proceed immediately to the river with her newborn pup. Mom enters the river, rolls over a couple of times to clean herself off, followed by the pup which is able to swim immediately after birth. Much rubbing of faces and rolling in the river follows, before returning to shore for the first nursing.
Pups weigh 10- 20 pounds at birth and are 16-36 inches. Adults weigh 150-300 pounds and are 4-6 feet in length. Adult males are larger than females. Harbor seals vary in color - gray, white, silver, dark brown and black often with rings or spots on their backs and sides. They molt each summer shedding their skin/coat for a new one.
Harbor seals, while extremely suited to the water, are at a disadvantage on land. When approached by humans or dogs or kayaks and boats, they will first alert – raise their heads and look toward the danger and then flush towards the water. It takes a lot of effort and expends considerable energy to inch themselves across the sand. In their panic to reach the safety of the ocean or river, pups can be crushed and are left temporarily defenseless.
A seal pup alone on the beach is rarely abandoned. Mom often “parks” the pup while she is off fishing. PLEASE DO NOT PICK UP THE PUP! Mom will return to the exact spot she left it. Moving the pup will prevent its reunion with its mom with dire results for the pup. It is extremely stressful to the pup to be handled. If you are concerned, note the pup’s location. Advise a State Park Ranger, Seal Watch docent, or call the Marine Mammal Center at 415.289.SEAL. They will place a 48-hour watch on the pup. The pup needs the mom’s antibodies received from her milk, so allowing the mom and pup to reunite is critical. Marine Mammal Center volunteers take the pup to the Center only as a very last resort. Please DO NOT pick up a pup!
Pups are weaned after 4-6 weeks, having doubled in size thanks to the 45 percent fat content of mother’s milk. Taught to fish by mom in the river and ocean, they are now on their own. The pups initially stay close to the birth colony, playing with other pups and foraging close by the haul out. Sexual maturity is at 3-5 years for females and 5-6 for males.
Females seem to have fidelity to their birth colony. Mating occurs soon after the females stop nursing. Delayed implantation of 1 - 2 months results in births the following spring, timed for the best weather for survival of the pup. And so the cycle resumes.
The mouth of the Russian River is a rich environment teaming with birds – cormorants, gulls, terns, pelicans, loons, grebes and the magnificent osprey, which can be seen carrying fish to a nearby nest. There are fish in the river. Watch for the feeding frenzies that often occur at the mouth of the river. An added bonus in April and May is the chance to see a north bound migrating Gray Whale mother and calf rolling in the surf line. When next you are at Goat Rock Beach come talk to the Seal Watchers on duty and get a close up look from afar at the Harbor Seals using our binoculars and scope!
Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods promotes education, preservation and restoration of the natural and cultural resources of Russian River area state parks in partnership with the California Department of Parks and Recreation through interpretation and public stewardship.
Doctors’ Group Supports Compassionate Choices Act
Backing of major physicians’ group part of
growing momentum for bill.March 21, 2007 --------
SACRAMENTO -- California’s largest doctors’ group has added
its support to a bill that would give Californians the same kind of choices
available through Oregon’s landmark Death With Dignity law.
The California Association of Physician Groups announced its support for AB 374, by Assembly members Patty Berg, Lloyd Levine and Fabian Núñez. The group represents thousands of doctors in organized medical groups throughout California, and is one of the largest in the nation.“The California Association of Physician Group members take seriously our principal duty to heal and comfort our patients, as well as to prevent avoidable suffering. When physicians can no longer heal the disease or alleviate the symptoms, terminally-ill patients have a right to control the circumstances of their death,” said Wells Shoemaker, M.D., medical director for California Association of Physician Groups. “We welcome the fact that physicians and patients may have a spectrum of views about this delicate subject, but the insistence upon dignity, comfort, and privacy unites nearly every compassionate individual.”AB 374, the California Compassionate Choices Act, would make it legal for a terminally ill patient of sound mind to control their own dying. It is modeled on the Oregon law, which was enacted by voters a decade ago.
The measure failed passage last year amid opposition from religious conservatives, who reminded lawmakers that at least one doctor’s group stood against the bill. Support from CAPG is significant because it represents a much larger number of physicians, who have voted to advocate for the bill.
"For the past three years, Assemblywoman Berg and I have brought forth legislation to improve health care options for terminally-ill Californians," Assemblymember Levine said. "This year, we were pleased to add the powerful support of the Speaker to our cause, and now comes the fantastic news that CAPG has joined the fight. CAPG represents 150 of California's leading physician groups across California and is committed to improving health care in our state. We're thrilled to have them on our side."
The California Association of Physician Groups (CAPG) is comprised of over thousands of doctors in more than 150 medical groups serving some 15 million Californians.
“CAPG supports AB 374 because it provides a legal option for terminally ill patients to talk with their doctor about all options available to them,” Shoemaker said. “This bill ensures that any end-of-life decisions are made responsibly, fully informed, in the private context of the doctor-patient relationship.”
“Our opponents like to say that physicians don’t support this choice,” said Berg, D-Eureka. “This should put that argument to rest. Here is a huge group of doctors, and they’re standing up in favor of patient choice.”
The concept of aided dying has consistently polled well among California voters, about 70 percent of whom say they would like to have the choice if they were faced with terminal illness and imminent death.
"I am pleased to have the invaluable support of the California Association of Physician Groups on board in our effort to provide terminally-ill Californians with the end-of-life choices," Speaker Núñez said. "As California's largest physician organization association, their assistance in helping our coalition pass AB 374 will be a vital asset."
Local Film Chosen for Hollywood Premier and Major Festivals
Sebastopol, CA—Born of Woman Films’ first short, Edible, will premier at the Reel Women International Film Festival in Hollywood and has been nominated by the Sacramento International Film Festival as Best Northern California Short Film. The Mendocino Film Festival has also selected the film for their 2007 program.Kristi Moya of Sebastopol wrote, produced, and directed Edible. Moya and production manager Joanna Shellman used Sonoma County actors and locations, including the Sebastopol Farmers’ Market, to tell the story of how a young woman learns to nurture her body and her soul. The film explores a young woman’s changing relationship to life, love, and food as she sees that nourishment means more than consumption.
The Reel Women International Film Festival screened more than 500 film submissions before selecting their program. The festival that Back Stage West describes as “a must-attend event for all women in the entertainment industry” takes place in Hollywood March 8 through 12. It includes screenings, panels, and seminars hosted by the Writers’ Guild, the Directors’ Guild, and Women Make Movies, New York. See <http://www.riff.com/>www.riff.com for details.
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Celebrity filmmakers and stars will join thousands of film enthusiasts from around the world at the Sacramento International Film Festival March 28 through April 1. Festival Director Martin Anaya calls the NorCal All-Stars program “the best short cinema Northern California has to offer.” See <http://www.sacramentofilmfestival.com/>www.sacramentofilmfestival.com for schedules.
Over fifty filmmakers from all over the world attended the first Mendocino Film Festival last year. Scheduled for May 17 through 20, 2007, this year’s Festival provides quality independent films, documentaries, foreign films, shorts, and animation to audiences of all ages and cinematic tastes. Special guests this year include Danny Glover and Albert Maysles. See www.mendocinofilmfestival.com for more information.
Born of Woman Films plans to screen Edible at more film festivals throughout the year. Their website, >www.bornofwomanfilms.com, offers more information.
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