The Carpenteria Seal Rookery

As I walked, I could hear the soothing sounds of the ocean, and smell the calming scent of eucalyptus. The breeze danced through the grove of trees that surrounded the sandy path. Emerging from the stand of trees, I crossed the railroad tracks, and found myself at the edge of a cliff from which I could observe an entire colony of harbor seals.

The Carpenteria Seal Rookery is one of four remaining rookeries on the southern California coast according to www.sealwatchcarpenteria.com. It was enchanting to watch as the cows and their newborn pups played in the sand and surf as the pelicans looked on from nearby rocks.

Conservenature.org reports that "the number of Harbor Seals that inhabit the Pacific coast has greatly declined in recent decades". Some of the biggest threats to these magnificent mammals are water pollution and people, and the seals at Carpenteria seem ironically juxtaposed with the many oil rigs off in the distance, and the activity at the pier nearby.



To learn more about what you can do to get involved in conservation efforts or to adopt-a-seal, check out the Marine Mammal Center. Additionally, if you are seeking to recreate the calming scent of a grove of eucalyptus trees, consider trying our Yuza Mint Energizing Body Butter!

Are there other animal conservation efforts that are near and dear to your heart? If so, please share them with us by adding them as comments to this blog.