Norddeich, Germany, August 20, 2008--Ready Eddy? A young seal named Eddy peers out from a basket en route to his release into the North Sea from the island of Juist.

Eddy was raised at a seal rehabilitation and breeding station in Norddeich, which cares for about 30 to 80 orphaned seals each year. Seals are released when they reach a minimum weight of 55 pounds (25 kilograms).

—John Roach