What do a crow and a glossy-eyed harbor seal named Monty have in common? 

Us.

Oftentimes, human interaction with animals is for the worse. But when it comes to animal rehabbers, the interaction is meant to get the animal back on its feet—or paws or claws or flippers—and release them back into the wild. Chip Harshaw, VP of Animal Care at The Virginia Aquarium, takes us on a behind-the-scenes tour to meet Monty and dives into the good, the bad, and the downright heart-melting aspects of human/animal relationships.

A few curiosities you’ll uncover in this episode:

• What it takes to rehabilitate animals like Monty
• How Monty wound up at the aquarium
• Monty’s favorite fish
• The real reason why you should never feed a wild seal

Did You Know?

Harbor seals enjoy posing on coastal rocks like blubbery land bananas—Google “harbor seal banana” to experience the full glory.

Curious State is a Quick and Dirty Tips podcast hosted and produced by Doug Fraser.

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