Mother and baby seal in August of 1998. Three mother and baby combinations stayed very close to the jetty area throughout August of 1998. A lazy day on the boat ramp at Race Rocks. Upwards of 200 harbour seals occupy the islands year round at Race Rocks, bearing their young in June or July. Wherever seal haulout areas are located, but especially where pups are born, the boating public must be extremely careful to avoid collision.
Pups are very vulnerable in their first year of growth to being run over by motor boats.
For many years a family of river otters have lived under the buildings and pathways at Race Rocks, and in a pile of rocks produced when the Coast Guard blasted the island to build the helicopter pad in the late 1970's. They were even seen to be after the nests of the pigeon guillemots, as they were observed pulling away rocks from the entrance area to the guillemot nests. This was a real tragedy for the island, and one that was probably assisted by the availability of human-made habitat for the otters. It is unlikely that they would be so successful on such an exposed island, as most natural river otter habitat in this area is in small inlets and bays. Holes under buildings are being sealed .