Polly the Harbor Seal (1987-2024)
Obituary
Polly died after spending more than 30 years in captivity at an aquarium in Connecticut.
Polly, a harbor seal, died in June 2024 at the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, CT. She was born in captivity at the Mystic Aquarium, notorious for its exploitation of beluga whales, and transferred to Maritime in 1990. Polly was known for the heart-shaped birthmark on her chest and her outgoing personality.
Harbor seals live in coastal environments that are abundant in biodiversity. The small, chlorinated tanks that Polly and other seals are held in are nothing like their natural homes. Instead of rocky beaches and vast oceans, seals are usually given fake rocks or wood planks and a tiny pool. Aquariums often build seal exhibits to make the “land” area larger than the water areas so the public can see them more easily, disregarding seals’ needs. In the wild, harbor seals split their time evenly between water and land. The chlorine can also cause skin and eye problems, such as lesions and cataracts. Biologists describe the captive environment for seals in aquariums and zoos as “profoundly limited and impoverished.”
American zoos and aquariums rarely capture seals from the wild anymore. Instead, zoos breed seals to create a steady stream of animals to exhibit to customers. In some cases, there are now more captive-bred seals than zoos and aquariums want, leading some facilities to use birth control even though some of the current methods may be dangerous.
World Animal Protection urges everyone who loves harbor seals to avoid aquariums or zoos and instead enjoy them in the wild or at sanctuaries. Multiple Wildlife Heritage Areas (community-led wildlife and cultural experiences) feature seal watching.
