By MADDY VITALE
The Marine Mammal Stranding Center (MMSC) in Brigantine rescued four grey seal pups over the winter season from Sea Isle City alone.
It’s been a busy season for the team at the MMSC. They have been rescuing and rehabilitating seal pups making their way from the north to New Jersey waters, as well as rescuing other marine life and sea turtles.
Currently, the center is rehabilitating 18 seals. In addition to the four seals from Sea Isle, there is a 150-pound harp seal that was discovered in February on a beach in Lavallette in Ocean County.
This season the stranding center has been filled with many seal pups rescued from the beaches, thanks to good Samaritans who have been notifying the MMSC team of the strandings, according to information on the MMSC website.
Here is the information along with updates on the conditions of the four seals rescued in Sea Isle:
- On March 12, a grey seal located in Sea Isle was transported to the stranding center. The male seal was suffering from a wound on his right rear flipper. Once admitted into the hospital, staff began supportive care and treatment. The seal’s intake weight was 46.8 pounds. He is currently being assist-fed by technicians. He is currently resting comfortably in Tub 5 of the Quonset Hut.
- On March 9, a grey seal pup on the beach in Sea Isle was suffering from a large wound on his right shoulder. Once admitted into the hospital, staff began supportive care. The seal’s intake weight was 44.2 pounds. The pup is currently being assist-fed. He is currently resting comfortably in Tub 7 of the Quonset Hut.
- On February Feb. 12, a grey seal was found stranded on the beach at 36th Street in Sea Isle. He had mucous around his eyes and several abrasions on his body and his nostrils. He was brought to the center for an examination, admitted and given supportive care. Stranding Technicians are currently assist-feeding his diet of fish. His intake weight was 44 pounds. He was moved to the pool on March 12.
- On Feb. 14, a female grey seal was located at 66th Street in Sea Isle. She was wheezing, and suffering from numerous small wounds across her face, flippers, and body. She was immediately transported to center for a medical examination and admitted. The young seal was given supportive care via tube feeding a mixture of formula and electrolytes. Her intake weight was 42.8 pounds. On March 12 she was moved to the pool.
The MMSC website gives a detailed explanation about the grey seal migration and how pups often have a difficult journey.
“With the annual grey seal pup migration in full swing, many pups are now making the long swim from their birthing grounds in New England and Canadian waters to New Jersey,” the MMSC staff said. “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 that have not fared as well as the others on their journey, need MMSC’s help.”
Grey seals nurse for only about two weeks, and once weaned they are completely independent. They weigh about 30-35 pounds 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, according to the MMSC website.
MMSC Director Sheila Dean said in an interview in February that when the baby seals are rescued, “they get much-needed rest – a vital part of the recuperation process,” during their rehabilitation at MMSC.
“They are only bothered by humans for food and other than that, they just need rest and build the food back up and weight back up,” Dean said of the seals’ rehabilitation process at the center. “Once on their way to feeling much better, they go in a pool and build their muscles back up and go back into the ocean.”
The Marine Mammal Stranding Center is the only federally-authorized animal hospital in New Jersey that responds to these animals in distress and provides medical treatment, according to the MMSC website.
Staff at the MMSC continue to credit the kindness of good Samaritans who have reported the seal strandings to the center.
“Thank you to all of our amazing supporters who continue to help us be there for them, we couldn’t do it without you,” the MMSC staff said on the website.
To donate to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, visit them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/njmarinemammal
For the 24-hour Marine Mammal Stranding Center hotline, call (609) 266-0538.
