Have you heard? There’s cause for a seal-ebration at the Seattle Aquarium because we recently welcomed a new harbor seal into our care. Flounder joined us earlier this year, and he’s been settling in nicely at Pier 60’s harbor seal habitat.
Read on to learn more about how Flounder has been adjusting to life in the Pacific Northwest.
From Florida to the PNW
Flounder was born at the Miami Seaquarium in 2013. When the Seaquarium closed in 2025, the animals that had been living there needed new homes. Because Flounder has lived his whole life in human care, release into the wild wasn’t an option for him.
Have you heard? There’s a new seal at Pier 60. Meet Flounder!
The Seattle Aquarium was identified as a good match for Flounder because of our long history of working with harbor seals and the fact that our existing seal population consists of two other males of similar age, Casey and Hogan. We were happy to offer Flounder a safe and caring home in the Pacific Northwest.
After he arrived in Seattle, Flounder spent some time at the Aquarium’s off-site Animal Care Center adjusting to, among other things, the temperature changes. Harbor seals can be found near much of the U.S.’s east and west coasts. So, they’re comfortable in a variety of climates. But Flounder was used to the warmer temperatures of Florida’s waters. His new caretakers slowly lowered the water temperature in his habitat over a few weeks to make him comfortable with our chillier climate.
Harbor seals are semi-social. While they live together harmoniously in human care, in the wild they spend most of their time alone. Understanding this, our Animal Care team felt confident that with proper monitoring, Flounder would do well on his own temporarily, before introducing him to his new habitat-mates.
The new guy
Flounder joined Casey and Hogan in the Aquarium’s harbor seal habitat in February, and so far, it’s been smooth sailing. The seals’ caretakers report that everyone has been getting along great.
Our Animal Care team reports that Flounder is getting along swimmingly with his new habitat-mates.
Whenever they introduce a new animal, the Animal Care team looks for signs of distress, like a loss of appetite or any antisocial behavior. Fortunately, Flounder and his new habitat-mates have been getting along well and cooperating during feedings, trainings and health checks. Flounder has also been comfortable exploring his new habitat, another positive sign.
Flounder has received excellent health care since arriving at the Aquarium. Eye conditions are common for seals. Flounder’s caretakers treat his condition, called keratopathy, using eye drops. He patiently allows our animal care staff to administer the drops daily and undergoes regular eye exams with our Veterinary Team. The Animal Care team is also looking to start giving the other seals eye drops as a preventative measure.
Flounder fun facts
The care team has been working on adding more variety to his diet, which currently consists of mostly herring and capelin. But he is now, “fully invested in ice treats,” according to Animal Care Specialist II Lizzy Govas, who works closely with Flounder. This taste for ice treats has helped with introducing new foods.
Another one of Flounder’s quirks is his fondness for “bottling,” or floating vertically in the water. This is normal behavior for harbor seals, though it might be surprising for guests who are used to seeing the seals swim and relax horizontally. Senior Animal Care Specialist Jake Smith said Flounder’s former habitat-mates also preferred to bottle.
One of Flounder’s preferred behaviors is “bottling,” or floating vertically in the water. It’s one way you can distinguish him from Casey and Hogan when you visit.
Like all animals at the Aquarium, Flounder introduces over a million guests a year to the wonders of marine life. And when you come to the Aquarium, not only are you connecting with thousands of lovable animals—you’re also supporting ocean conservation that benefits harbor seals and many other species in our shared marine ecosystem. Come visit today!
