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Learn about the seals that the Marine Mammal Stranding Center has rescued, rehabilitated and successfully released back into the wild during the current 2022-2023 seal season. Each seal's gallery includes updates from their time in our hospital and their release.
This male Grey seal pup stranded in Sea Bright on April 22nd. He was very lethargic, and in the process of his spring molt. His intake weight was 45lbs.
Update 6/1- Fully-recovered and weighing a healthy 74lbs, he was tagged #61 on his left rear flipper and released at Sandy Hook Gateway National Park.
This female Grey seal pup stranded in Spring Lake on April 19th suffering from an abscess on her abdomen. She is also in the process of her spring molt. Her intake weight was 42lbs.
Update 6/1- Fully-recovered and weighing a healthy 73.2lbs, she was tagged #60 on her right rear flipper and released at Sandy Hook Gateway National Park.
This male Grey seal pup stranded in Barnegat Light on April 6th. He was suffering from a laceration across his muzzle. His intake weight was 50lbs.
Update 6/1- Fully-recovered and weighing a healthy 99.6lbs, he was tagged #59 on his left rear flipper and released at Sandy Hook Gateway National Park.
On March 31st we received a call for stranded seal in Seaside Park for a seal with a large wound on his hip. The male Grey seal pup was also underweight. He was admitted into MMSC's rehabilitation facilities for treatment. His intake weight was 40lbs.
Update 5/11- Fully-recovered and weighing a healthy 83.8lbs, he was tagged #58 on his left rear flipper and released at Sandy Hook Gateway National Park.
On March 30th we received a call for stranded seal in Sea Isle City. The female Grey seal pup was suffering from multiple lacerations on her side, flippers, stomach and head. She was brought back to the Center for treatment. Her intake weight was 46lbs.
Update 5/11- Fully-recovered and weighing a healthy 95lbs, she was tagged #57 on her right rear flipper and released at Sandy Hook Gateway National Park.
On March 27th we received a call for an entangled seal at Sandy Hook. When our Stranding Team arrived they found a male Grey seal pup close to the water's edge with a polypropylene line knotted around his neck. The seal was rushed to the MMSC where the line was successfully removed by our veterinarian, and treatment was started to prevent infection. The rope, which was tied at the end into a knot, appears to have been on the seal's neck for quite a while, having become imbedded one inch into the seal's blubber and flesh. His intake weight was 58.4lbs.
Update 5/11- Fully-recovered and weighing a healthy 89.4lbs, he was tagged #54 on his left rear flipper and released at Sandy Hook Gateway National Park.
On March 25th our Stranding Team responded to a call for a female Grey seal pup in Seaside Park. She was suffering from an infected injury to her jaw and was missing some teeth. The pup was admitted to the MMSC for treatment. Her intake weight was 36lbs.
Update 5/11- Fully-recovered and weighing a healthy 95lbs, she was tagged #57 on her right rear flipper and released at Sandy Hook Gateway National Park.
On March 24th this male Grey seal pup stranded on the beach in Surf City. He was suffering from a deep laceration on his hip and abdomen. brought back to MMSC for treatment. His intake weight was 40.4lbs.
Update 5/11- Fully-recovered and weighing a healthy 90.4lbs, he was tagged #55 on his left rear flipper and released at Sandy Hook Gateway National Park.
On March 24th we received a call for a male Grey seal pup on the beach in Ocean City. The seal had a wound under his chin. He was brought back to MMSC for treatment. His intake weight was 44.8lbs.
Update 5/11- Fully-recovered and weighing a healthy 92.4lbs, he was tagged #53 on his left rear flipper and released at Sandy Hook Gateway National Park.
On March 21st our Stranding Team responded to a call for a male Grey seal pup on the beach in Loveladies. The pup was having respiratory issues and had several scrapes on his front flippers. He was brought back to MMSC for treatment. His intake weight was 43.8lbs.
Update 5/5- Fully-recovered and weighing a healthy 90lbs, he was tagged #52 on his left rear flipper and released at Sandy Hook Gateway National Park.
On March 17th our Stranding Team responded to an injured female Grey seal pup stranded in Seaside Heights. Her lower jaw was swollen, and she was suffering from multiple lacerations on her head, neck and flippers. The pup was brought back to MMSC for treatment. Her intake weight was 37.4lbs.
Update 5/5- Fully-recovered and weighing a healthy 70lbs, she was tagged #51 on her right rear flipper and released at Sandy Hook Gateway National Park.
On March 20th we received a report of a male Harp seal on the beach in North Wildwood. When our Stranding Team arrived they noticed that the seal, who was otherwise not injured, was eating sand. Harp seals are an Arctic species at home in the snow. Although seals get most of their hydration through the fish that they eat, this sea ice dwelling species will frequently consume snow and ice for fresh water. When harp seals strand on our beaches they may confuse the sand for snow, causing gastric impaction issues. The seal was brought back to MMSC for treatment to flush the sand out of his system with mineral oil to prevent an impaction. His intake weight was 60lbs.
Update 4/14- After nearly one month of care at the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, he had gained over 10lbs and was ready to be on his own. He was tagged #50 on his left rear flipper and released back at the Brigantine Natural Area.
On March 3rd we received a call for a lethargic seal on the beach in Surf City. The male Grey seal pup was brought back to MMSC for treatment. His intake weight was 39.6lbs.
Update 4/14- After nearly six weeks of care at the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, he weighed 75lbs and was ready to be on his own. He was tagged #49 on his left rear flipper and released at the Brigantine Natural Area.
On February 27th we responded to a call for an injured seal stranded along the Delaware Bay in Fortescue, Cumberland County. The female Harbor seal had several new and old wounds, including fresh puncture wounds on her stomach. She was brought back to MMSC for treatment. Her intake weight was 45lbs.
Update 4/5- After nearly six weeks of care at the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, she had gained over 20lbs and was ready to be on her own. She was tagged #48 on her right rear flipper and released at the Brigantine Natural Area.
On February 12th we responded to a call for a seal pup lying in the middle of the 4x4 entrance to the North End of Brigantine. The pup was obscured in a tire rut, but fortunately an alert driver spotted her, blocking the path to protect her from getting run over until help arrived. The female Grey seal was immediately transported to the MMSC by our Stranding Technician. The pup was still partially covered with her white birth coat (lanugo) and weighed 28lbs. Upon examination, there was discharge from her eye and minor lacerations, so supportive care was started in our hospital. After several days of assist feeding, we are happy to say that she is now eating chunks of cut up fish on her own! She is also starting to show more interest in the head and tail pieces of the fish, so eating whole fish is the next step.
Update 3/27- After nearly six weeks of care at the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, she had gained over 30lbs and was ready to be on her own. She was tagged #47 on her right rear flipper and released at the Brigantine Natural Area.
This male grey seal pup stranded at the beach entrance to the Holgate Natural Area on February 2nd. He was found resting near one of our "Give Seals Space" signs, so the person who found him knew exactly what to do! The pup was still partially covered with his white birth coat (lanugo) and had an injury on his left front flipper. Weighing only 30lbs, this pup is very underweight.
Life can be harsh for these little grey seal pups, who only nurse from their mothers for 2-3 weeks before they are weaned and 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. 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.
Fortunately, this pup was found by a kind person walking the beach, and one of our dedicated volunteers was dispatched to watch over the little seal until our Stranding Technician arrived to bring him back to the MMSC. Once the pup arrived at the Center, he was admitted into the ICU and given supportive care. He was examined by our Veterinarian and treatment was immediately started to prevent infection. We are happy to report that since his arrival, our new patient has started to eat on his own, and has even molted into his dark grey juvenile coat!
Update 3/13- Fully-recovered and weighing a healthy 67.6lbs, he was tagged #46 on his left rear flipper and released at Sandy Hook Gateway National Park.
This male grey seal pup was discovered on the beach at 48th Street in Avalon on February 1st. The pup was still covered in his white birthing coat (lanugo), so we are estimating his age to be approximately 4-5 weeks old. His intake weight was 36lbs.
This little pup likely did not learn how to eat 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 30-35lbs 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 back down to close to birth weight by the time he completed his 400+ mile marathon swim from the pupping grounds in Maine to New Jersey.
Once the pup arrived at the Center, he was moved into the ICU and given supportive care with fluids and assist-feeding fish. He is being treated for a respiratory infection, and we are happy to share that he is now eating on his own! Over the course of the week, he has shed his white lanugo and is now sporting his black juvenile coat. This little pup will stay with us until he has recovered and gained weight before being released back into the wild.
Update 3/13- Fully-recovered and weighing a healthy 74.4lbs, he was tagged #45 on his left rear flipper and released at Sandy Hook Gateway National Park.
On December 28th we responded to a female Harbor seal discovered stranded on Monmouth Beach. She was wheezing and suffering from a laceration on her right side. The yearling, likely born last spring, was immediately transported to MMSC for supportive care and medical treatment. She weighed 42lbs when she was admitted into our hospital. She is currently resting in Pen A of the Intensive Care Unit and is eating well on her own. We are happy to report that she is responding well to treatment for her respiratory issues, and the wound on her side is beginning to heal.
Update 1/23- her respiratory issues have cleared up and the laceration has healed nicely. We are happy to report that this little seal has a BIG appetite, eating 9lbs of fish every day.
Update 2/6- Fully-recovered and weighing a healthy 74lbs, she was tagged #43 on her right rear flipper and released into Great Bay, Little Egg Harbor, NJ.
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