On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to share our new short communication which has recently been published in the Journal of Wildlife Diseases. Congenital Diseases in Harbor Seals (*Phoca vitulina richardsii*) from the Salish Sea Erin R. D’Agnese, Dyanna M. Lambourn, Jennifer K. Olson, Jessica L. Huggins, Stephen Raverty, Michael M. Garner, John Calambokidis, Alyssa A. Scott, Steven J. Jeffries, and Joseph K. Gaydos ABSTRACT: Postmortem data for harbor seals (*Phoca vitulina richardsii*) in the Salish Sea were analyzed for epidemiological trends in congenital diseases. Cleft palate and/or cleft lips (n=8) and cardiac defects (n=5), were the most common congenital abnormalities, followed by cases with multiple defects (n=4). There were no temporal trends or spatial clusters of cases seen from 2003 to 2019, during which time monitoring effort was consistent. Cases could not be linked to specific causes such as environmental contamination or maternal malnutrition. Our study suggests that a yearly prevalence of 2.9% ±2.2 is the endemic level of congenital disease in this stable harbor seal population. Continued monitoring of birth defects and overall harbor seal population status could help to identify emerging teratogens. This paper is available through open access and can be accessed at: https://doi.org/10.7589/JWD-D-20-00179 Thank you, Erin D'Agnese -- Sincerely, Erin D'Agnese, PhD (she/her/hers) Postdoctoral Scholar, UW School of Marine and Environmental Affairs Seattle, WA dagnese@uw.edu