Dead bodies, oildrums, garbage from 1964, these are things that you'd expect to find in the Gowanus Canal. But not a harp seal. The Times reports on the 1 year-old harp seal who has defied the laws of science by living and apparently surviving in the Gowanus. The president of the Gowanus Industrial Park, John Quadrozzi Jr. (who calls the waters of the Gowanus "pretty disgusting") saw the seal when it emerged, hurt and bloodied. The seal has been recovering Riverhead Foundation, pretty much fully recovered, though scientists will never know if the canal's conditions contributed to the seal's malnutrition. Oh, scientific process Gothamist's foot - have these scientists ever been within half a mile of the Gowanus?

The Times also mentions that the Gowanus Canal Community Development Corporation is adopting the seal. The GCCDC wants to name it Gowanda. Mr. Quadrozzi thinks that's a "ludicrous" name and prefers Henry. Gothamist also thinks Gowanda is ludicrous, but perhaps Henry is too staid. Let's take a page out of the Beckhams' book and name it Brooklyn! Okay, maybe not.

More about harp seals (plus a printable page for you to color in yourself!) and the Gowanus Canal.