The Marine Mammal Stranding Center shared an update on a wayward seal that found himself stranded underneath Casino Pier in Seaside Heights last month – and it’s good news, as seen in the video embedded above. The video of his initial rescue is embedded below.
The grey seal was discovered by a passerby almost exactly one month ago, on May 11. He was described as acting “very lethargic” and in need of a major helping hand. It took a team of trained rescuers from the stranding center as well as Seaside Heights police officers to coax the seal from underneath the pier and grab him before he scooted back underneath.
The seal was taken to the stranding center’s headquarters in Brigantine where he was placed in the facility’s intensive care unit, with a veterinarian determining he was suffering from an abscessed rear flipper and mild alopecia (hair loss) from a patchy molt. Treatment was started for his infection.
A month later, the seal is well on the way to recovery with the goal of getting back to the ocean as soon as possible.
A video posted by the MMSC on Thursday showed the seal being just a bit suspicious over the idea of moving pools, but then realizing he’d have more space for himself and flopping right in, making himself at home.
“He had a very nasty infected abscess on his rear flipper, which has since healed up nicely,” the center said via social media.
A grey seal rescued from underneath Casino Pier in Seaside Heights is healing well. (Photo: Marine Mammal Stranding Center)
A grey seal rescued from underneath Casino Pier in Seaside Heights is healing well. (Photo: Marine Mammal Stranding Center)
The center’s “big pool,” where animals “graduate” once they recover from their injuries in a more restrictive environment, is 30-feet long, 15-feet wide, and allows the seals to exercise and build back muscle strength.
The MMSC responds to marine mammal strandings up and down the New Jersey coastline, and rehabilitates the animals in their facility before ultimately releasing them back into the wild, often several at a time in a safe location. More information on the nonprofit group can be found on their website.
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