Saturday afternoon, June 13th, Seal Sitters will be holding a special training for those wanting to protect marine mammals along the shoreline of West Seattle and the Duwamish River. Unlike most marine mammal stranding networks, we encourage children to participate in Seal Sitters - supervised at all times, of course, by a parent or guardian. The training will take place at Alki UCC 6115 SW Hind Street in the Front meeting room from 1pm to 3:30 pm. The doors will be open at 12:30 and training will start promptly at 1.

A multi-media presentation will illustrate Seal Sitters MMSN's educational work in the community and the unique challenges of protecting seals and other marine mammals in an urban environment. Included in the training is an overview of NOAA's Western Region Marine Mammal Stranding Network and biology and behavior of seals and other pinnipeds (due to time frame, supplementary sessions will include more marine mammals of Puget Sound).

FOR MORE DETAILS AND RSVP, visit Seal Sitters' event page http://www.sealsitters.org/news/events_and_training.html

Volunteer with Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network (www.sealsitters.org).

RSVP is required to assure seating.

Seal Sitters MMSN averages 200 responses each year to marine mammals. 90% of those responses are to vulnerable harbor seal pups during our busiest time of year - late summer and fall. Pupping season has already begun on the outer coast of Washington and we could have early pups this year. In early June of 2014 a month-premature pup was born on Alki Beach.