A stranded harbor seal pup has been released back into the wild, less than three months after he was brought to the PAWS Wildlife Center in Lynnwood.

The harbor seal was found in May by a well-intentioned but unknowing couple who took him from a beach in Westport, thinking he was abandoned by his mother. They brought him back to their hotel room to try and care for him. The couple then contacted the Fish and Wild Wildlife Department, who referred them to PAWS.

PAWS wildlife rehabilitation experts were careful not to interact with him too much so he didn’t get comfortable around humans, an important factor for his survival in the wild.

During his recovery he developed a healthy appetite and learned to hunt for fish. He went from 16 pounds to 50 pounds since Memorial Day, according to our news partners at The Seattle Times. That made him large enough to be released into the waters of Ocean Shores yesterday.

Photo and video used with permission of The Seattle Times.