VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – It’s a first for the Vancouver Aquarium. They have tagged five rescued seal pups and are now tracking their whereabouts.

With the help of satellite-linked transmitters, staff will be able to better understand how the animals eat and where they go. They’ll also see if they become a nuisance.

Aquarium Manager Lindsaye Akhurst says they were set free off the Sunshine Coast.

“From what we can tell, they’ve all kind of gone their separate ways, which is quite normal for these little guys. But they’re all forging from what we can tell and have actually made up some pretty good ground,” she explains.

The pups are two to three months old, with the transmitter located on their heads.

“The tag is just adhesed to the hair. Once they malt, those tags will fall off at that time, and that’s when the study will conclude.”

Akhurst adds the tags do not hurt the pups.

This pilot project in is partnership with Fisheries and Oceans Canada.