Current Patients at MMSC

This juvenile male Grey seal stranded on March 14thin Cape May Point, New Jersey. He was coughing and is also underweight for his overall body length. MMSC’s Stranding Team transported the pup to the Center where he was immediately given supportive care and nutritional support via tube feeding a mixture of formula and electrolytes. His intake weight was 42.8 lbs. with a body length of 42 inches. Our new patient is being treated for a respiratory infection, and is currently resting comfortably in Tub 6 of the Quonset Hut. We are happy to report that he began showing interest in food quickly, and the pup started eating on his own on his second day in our hospital.

On March 7th we received a call for a large adult male Harp seal hauled out on Brant Beach, Long Beach Island, NJ. The seal's behavior on the beach was observed for 24 hours by MMSC staff and certified Stranding Volunteers local to the area. When evaluating a Harp seal’s behavior, something we watch for is substrate eating. As an Arctic species, Harp seals often consume snow and ice for fresh water. When they haul out on our beaches, sick, dehydrated and stressed Harp seals may start eating sand, confusing it for snow, putting them in danger of gastric impaction.

When the seal didn't move on the following morning and showed evidence of consuming sand, two staff members from MMSC's Stranding Team returned the next day on March 8th. With the help of volunteers and the Long Beach Township Department of Public Works, the large seal was loaded into the Stranding truck and transported to MMSC. Once admitted into the hospital, staff immediately began supportive care via tube feeding to rehydrate the seal, and started treatment to flush the sand out of his system with fluids and mineral oil. The seal's intake weight was 154.9 lbs. We are also frequently supplying our new patient with piles of ice for his comfort, which he immediately consumed as soon as we got him settled into his enclosure. He is currently resting comfortably in Pen D of the ICU and has already started to eat fish on his own.  

Harp seals are one of our most fascinating winter visitors. We typically see juveniles and two-to-three year-olds, but are sometimes graced by the beautiful black and white adult Harp seals on our beaches. These seals are named for the dark harp-shaped pattern on their back that forms in their adult coat. This species is most commonly found dwelling on the ice in the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, but have been known to travel as far south as Virginia in the winter. Newborn Harp seal pups are born pure white with a fluffy coat of lanugo, and are one of the Arctic’s most iconic animals. 

On March 4th this male Grey seal pup was spotted on the beach in Atlantic City close to the Golden Nugget Casino parking lot. When the Stranding Technician arrived, he discovered the pup was suffering from a large open wound on the back of his head. While we don't know exactly what type of animal (terrestrial or aquatic predator) caused his injury, it is severe enough to require intervention. The injured seal was transported to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center where he was admitted for medical treatment. After MMSC’s veterinarian examined his wound, a treatment plan was started to prevent infection. Both oral and topical medication has been started to battle infection, as well as pain medication to help keep him comfortable as he recovers. Despite his injury, the approximately 2-3 month old seal is in good body condition, weighing in at 52lbs. He has started eating on his own. This patient is currently resting comfortably in Tub 5 of the Quonset Hut, and is in stable but guarded condition due to the severity of his injury.

On February 24th we received a call for a Grey seal resting on the beach in Leonardo. The male pup was very underweight and still had 10% of his white birthing coat (lanugo). Once he was admitted to the hospital the staff began supportive care and nutritional support via tube feeding formula and electrolytes. His intake weight was 33.4 lbs. The patient is currently being assist-fed by the Stranding Technicians, and is in guarded condition. He is resting comfortably in Pen 3 of the Pool House.

On February 24th a male Harp seal was reported in Stone Harbor. The seal was observed eating sand, an usual behavior Harp seals display when dehydrated, suffering from an illness, or very stressed. Once admitted into the hospital, staff began supportive care via tube feeding to rehydrate the seal, and started treatment to flush the sand out of his system with fluids and mineral oil. His intake weight was 54.2 lbs. We are happy to report that this patient is eating on his own, and is resting comfortably in Tub 8 of the Quonset Hut.

On February 23rd we received a report of a seal hauled out on the beach in Beach Haven. The female Grey seal was underweight and had lacerations on the right side of her face and neck. The seal was admitted into the hospital for treatment for a suspected respiratory infection. Her intake weight was 33.4 lbs. The patient is currently being assist-fed by the Stranding Technicians, and is resting comfortably in Pen 4 of the Pool House.

Late in the afternoon on February 10th we received a report of a badly injured seal lying on the beach in Longport. When our Stranding Coordinator arrived, he found a very thin male Grey seal pup suffering from several lacerations on his abdomen arranged in a round pattern (approximately the circumference of a dinner plate) as well as several small puncture wounds on the left side of his mouth. The pup was immediately transported to the Center for medical treatment. Upon his arrival, the team cleaned his wounds and administered supportive care and nutritional support via tube feeding a mixture of formula and electrolytes. During his medical examination MMSC's veterinarian determined the likely cause of the wound was a predation attempt by a shark.  Oral and topical medication has been started to prevent infection, as well as pain medication to help keep him comfortable as he recovers. We are very happy to report that this pup is already showing interest in his food and is starting to eat on his own! Our newest patient, who weighed 37.8 lbs. at intake, is resting comfortably in Pen 2 of the Pool House. 

This small Grey seal pup was admitted to our rehabilitation hospital on February 9th after stranding in Atlantic City on the beach in front of the old Atlantic City Convention Center. The male pup was reported to be very thin and passing dark-colored stool. He was transported to MMSC where he was given supportive care and nutritional support via tube feeding a mixture of formula and electrolytes. The pup's intake weight was 31.6 lbs. with a length of only 33 inches, making him the smallest seal pup currently in our hospital. Our new patient is resting comfortably in Pen 1 of the Pool House, and is being assist-fed his meals by the Stranding Technicians. 

With the annual Grey seal pup migration in full swing, many pups are now making the long swim from their northern birthing grounds to New Jersey. Along the way these recently weaned pups are learning to hunt for their food on their own and evade predators. By the time they reach our beaches, they need their rest, and some pups who have not fared as well as the others on their journey, need MMSC’s help. 

This male Grey seal pup stranded on the beach in Belmar on February 7th. Much like Grey seal #25-002 (Strathmere) who was admitted last week, this pup was still partially covered with his white birth coat (lanugo) and is very underweight. The pup was also exhibiting slightly labored breathing. Fortunately, the little seal was reported to our hotline by someone walking along the beach. One of our dedicated Stranding Volunteers was immediately dispatched to watch over him until our Stranding Team arrived. Once the team arrived back to the Center, the pup was admitted into the Intensive Care Unit. His intake weight was 38.8lbs. The staff began supportive care via tube feeding a mixture of formula and electrolytes to rehydrate the new patient and provide nutritional support. The pup is being treated for a suspected case of lungworms, and is currently being assist-fed by the Stranding Technicians. 

Life can be harsh for these little grey seal pups, who only nurse from their mothers for about 2 weeks before they are weaned and left completely on their own. After their mothers leave them, they must live off their fat reserves as they learn to hunt for fish on their own. Grey seal pups are born in New England and Canada, and can make a journey of over 400 miles before reaching our beaches here in New Jersey. Oftentimes the pups who haven't learned how to fend for themselves will strand on our beaches, malnourished and thin, and in need of medical intervention.

This male Grey seal pup was discovered resting at the base of the dunes in Strathmere on the evening of January 31st. MMSC’s Stranding Coordinator immediately responded and transported the little pup to the Center. The pup still had 80% of his white birthing coat (lanugo), so we are estimating his age to be approximately 3-4 weeks old. His intake weight was 31lbs. Despite being very thin, he is bright, alert and responsive.

This pup likely did not learn how to eat very well on his own after being weaned from his mother. Grey seals only nurse for about two weeks, and once weaned they are completely independent. Grey seal pups weigh about 35lbs when they are born, and by the time they are weaned they can triple their body weight. The pups will live off of their fat reserves as they learn to hunt for fish on their own. It seems this little one wasn't successfully feeding himself, so he dropped below his birth weight by the time he completed his several-hundred-mile marathon swim from the pupping grounds to the north (New England and Canada) to New Jersey. 

Once the pup arrived at the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, he was admitted into the Intensive Care Unit. The Stranding Staff began supportive care via tube feeding a mixture of formula and electrolytes to rehydrate the new patient and provide nutritional support. We are very happy to report that over the weekend the pup started to show interest in his food, and after shredding a few fish, he is now eating on his own! Over the course of the weekend, he has shed most of his white lanugo and is now sporting his darker juvenile coat. This little pup will stay with us until  he has recovered and gained weight before being released back into the wild. 

On Monday December 30th, we received a report of an injured seal lying on the beach in Mantoloking. When our Stranding Team arrived, they found an underweight female Harbor seal suffering from swelling in her left rear flipper, abrasions on her right rear flipper, and an injured left eye. The approximately two year old seal was likely born in the spring of 2023. She was immediately transported to MMSC for medical treatment and supportive care. Upon her arrival, staff administered fluids and flushed out her wounds. MMSC's veterinarian performed a full medical examination including bloodwork for further diagnostics. Oral medications and antibiotic eye drops have been started to prevent infection of her wounds. The subadult seal, who weighed 80lbs at intake, is resting comfortably in Pen 1 of the Pool House. She is currently being assist-fed by the Stranding Technicians. 

Update January 8th:  Our patient has started eating on her own, currently consuming over 6lbs of fish daily, divided over three meals. Our veterinarian believes the issue with her left eye is actually an older, healed injury.   It is still too early to tell if it will impact her ability to thrive, there are still many steps in her recovery before we can evaluate her skills needed for life in the wild. 

Update January 21st:  She continues to have a strong appetite, now consuming 10.5lbs of fish every day to slowly bring her up to a healthy weight. The swelling in her flipper continues to improve with treatment. She is behaving appropriately aggressive, a behavior we like to see in our wild patients.