This is Angela Odell, and you are listening to Real Cool History for Kids, a podcast show featuring history told from a distinctly biblical worldview perspective.

Welcome to an adventure.

Welcome to episode 181 of Real Cool History for Kids. This episode is for Esther and Emilea Lane, who wanted to hear the story of Andre the Seal.

Today's story takes us all the way up to the rocky coast of Maine, where a lonely baby seal became one of the most famous animals in America.

In the summer of 1961, a man named Harry Goodridge was walking along the beach near his home in Rockport, where he spotted something unusual lying on the sand.

What was it? It was a little harbor seal pup. The little seal was all alone. He didn't have a

mama nearby, and the pup look weak and hungry.

So Harry waited for a while and he hoped that the mama would return, but she never did.

So it's really important to know that Harbor seals are not small animals.

Even baby seals can be surprisingly heavy and slippery. But Harry carefully picked up the

little guy and brought him home. Harry and his wife named the seal Andre. At first they only

planned to care for Andre until he was healthy enough to survive on his own. But Andre quickly became part of the family,

and seals are not exactly quiet pets, you guys.

Andre barked loudly when he wanted food,

and he splashed water everywhere,

and he waddled around the yard,

and sometimes he even climbed into places where he definitely did not belong.

While the Goodridge family fed Andre Fish and milk and made sure he stayed healthy.

And before long, he began to grow. He grew bigger and bigger and bigger. And eventually he weighed hundreds of pounds.

As an adult seal, Andre was five feet long and weighed 232 pounds, even though he became so big.

He remained gentle and playful with the people who cared for him.

Soon the people around town started hearing about the friendly seal living with the Goodridge family.

...