The Seattle Aquarium has a new resident— a 12-year-old harbor seal named Flounder, who recently joined the Aquarium’s harbor seal habitat.
Flounder comes to Seattle following the closure of Miami Seaquarium in October 2025, part of a broader effort to relocate animals to accredited facilities where they can continue receiving specialized care. Born in human care and dependent on caregivers for food and daily support, Flounder was deemed non-releasable, meaning he cannot safely live in the wild.
Now, Aquarium staff say he’s settling into his new home alongside harbor seals Casey and Hogan.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Flounder,” said Lisa Hartman, Seattle Aquarium’s Vice President of Animal Care, in a statement. “We are always seeking opportunities to advance our mission by providing safe and welcoming homes to marine mammals that cannot live in the wild and for whom we can provide excellent care.”
The arrival comes after the passing of Barney, one of the longest-lived harbor seals in human care, which created space within the Aquarium’s harbor seal habitat for a new resident. The habitat features a large pool and a haul-out area where seals can rest, along with multiple viewing panels that give visitors an up-close look at these playful marine mammals.
Harbor seals are a familiar sight along Washington’s coastlines and waterways, but seeing them at the Aquarium offers families a chance to observe their behaviors, learn about their role in marine ecosystems, and explore conservation efforts aimed at protecting local wildlife.
In addition to harbor seals, guests can see northern fur seals Chiidax and Flaherty — among fewer than 10 northern fur seals living in zoos and aquariums across the United States — as well as river otter Molalla and sea otters Mishka, Ruby, and Sekiu at the Aquarium.
Families interested in meeting Flounder can visit the harbor seal habitat during regular Aquarium hours, currently 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Animal care teams encourage guests to watch for the seals’ playful interactions both with one another and with their caregivers during enrichment and feeding sessions.
