Rescue and Release Videos

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Watch our final release of the 2023-2024 seal season! Grey seal #24-098 (Long Branch) spent over four months in our hospital recovering from a severely injured right front flipper. Now fully-recovered from her broken flipper, she is ready for the freedom of the ocean once again. Happy release day!

On July 17th the Stranding Team returned MMSC #24-133 (Brigantine) back to the freedom of the ocean. This spunky Grey seal was found on June 4th near the Brigantine jetty suffering from an injured jaw and multiple lacerations on her hips and rear flippers. While recovering in our hospital she gained a well-earned reputation for being an extremely vocal and feisty patient, displaying an open mouth threat to anyone who dared walk past her pen. Happy release day, wild girl!

 On July 2nd our Stranding Team released two juvenile Grey seals back into the wild! Grey seal #24-029 (Sea Isle City) has been recovering at MMSC since March from a wound on his shoulder and a corneal abrasion. Grey seal #24-100 (Margate) was admitted in late April for edema in his rear flippers. Now both fully-recovered and weighing well over 100lbs each, they were ready for their journey back home to the ocean. 

On June 18th our Stranding Team traveled up to Sandy Hook Gateway National Park to release Grey seal #24-106 (Spring Lake). It was a beautiful sunny afternoon with the New York City skyline in the background. Our former patient spent a few minutes after the transport taking in the quiet scene from the safety of his crate before exiting with a little encouragement from Jay. We were so excited to get to watch him frolic in the surf for a few minutes before disappearing beyond the breakers. 

Watch our Stranding Team releases a group of five seals!  The following MMSC patients were in this release group- Harp seal #24-067 (Sea Isle City), and Grey seals #24-040 (Avalon), #24-059 (Harvey Cedars), #24-040 (Long Branch), and #24-081 (Island Beach State Park).

Watch our Stranding Team release a group of six juvenile Grey seals back into the wild! The following MMSC patients were in this release group- #24-021 (Allenhurst), #24-042 (Sea Isle City), #24-050 (Loveladies), #24-055 (Monmouth Beach), #24-068 (Ocean City) and #24-072 (Long Branch).  

Watch our Stranding Team release a group of three male juvenile Grey seals-Long Beach Island (#24-014),  Atlantic City (#24-020), and Lavallette (#24-047).  As this trio swam off to the freedom of the ocean, we received a call for another injured Grey seal that needed our help. Make sure to watch the footage from our newest patient's rescue at the end of this video!  

 Watch as our Stranding Team releases Harp seal #24-023 (Lavallette) back into the wild! This adult male originally stranded in February, weighing 150lbs, dehydrated, and consuming sand. Now weighing a healthy 220lbs and fully recovered, he made his way back home on a beautiful afternoon. Look carefully at the intricate  black markings on his back, our staff thinks they are reminiscent of yesterday's solar eclipse! 

After seven weeks of care at MMSC, Grey seals #24-011 (Brigantine) & 24-012 (Beach Haven) were released back into the wild live on NBC's Today Show! In typical Grey seal fashion, the duo took their time on the beach and made sure to get their full 15 minutes of fame before returning home to the ocean. Safe travels, pups! 

Watch as our Stranding Team releases  the following patients: Point Pleasant Beach (#24-003),  Delaware (#24-007), Island Beach State Park (#24-008), Sea Isle City (#24-009) and Sea Isle City (#24-010). Joining them is a female Grey seal that was being relocated. 

Watch as our Stranding Team faces another challenging rescue operation to free a Grey seal trapped inside a jetty.

Watch as our Stranding Team works to free a Grey seal trapped inside a jetty, brings her back to MMSC for an evaluation,  and returns her back to the wild.

Watch as Grey seal #24-002 (Sea Bright) is returned to the wild after six weeks of care at MMSC. Also joining him is a female Harp seal from Atlantic City that was brought in for a wound assessment and did not need to be admitted for medical care.

Our first release of the season is a Harbor seal who originally stranded in Surf City on Christmas Day, suffering from a shark bite. Now fully recovered and weighing a healthy 87lbs, he was tagged #64 on his left rear flipper for future identification and released into the calm waters just inside the Brigantine Inlet at the North Brigantine Natural Area.  

Follow the story of Grey seal #23-079 (Seaside Heights) from his rescue from beneath Casino Pier, through his rehabilitation in our hospital, and finally his release back home to the ocean. 

Grey seal #23-079 stranded underneath Casino Pier, very lethargic and suffering from a swollen flipper and alopecia. Watch as our Stranding Team crawls under the pier to safely capture the seal to bring to MMSC for treatment.

In March of 2022 our Stranding Team relocated two Harp seals from beaches that were becoming busy with people as they tried to rest. Both seals were brought into the MMSC for an assessment. The 44lb female and 64lb male were found to be healthy and in good body condition, with only a few superficial abrasions. Before being released to a more secluded beach to rest undisturbed, our Stranding Team marked them both with a non-toxic livestock marker (female #3, male #4).