The Newest, Cutest Baby Animals from the World's Zoos & Aquariums

Posted in ,

Since 1976 the Mystic Aquarium's Seal Rescue Clinic has treated over 300 marine mammals from tiny seal pups to stranded whales and released over 160 back into the ocean. Here is the tale of one recent rescue.

On January 25th, the International Fund for Animal Welfare located a lethargic baby gray seal on the beach in Sandwich, Massachusetts and transferred him to the Mystic Rescue Clinic in Connecticut later that day. The pup was only 7 to 10 days old and thought to have been abandoned by his mother.

Orphan baby gray seal mystic aquarium 1

Orphan baby gray seal mystic aquarium 2

While in the Seal Rescue Clinic, the pup was bottlefed and treated with antibiotics due to an elevated white blood cell count. Eventually the pup recovered, reaching a healthy 50 pounds and learning to catch fish on his own.

Orphan baby gray seal mystic aquarium 3

Orphan baby gray seal mystic aquarium 4

On March 25th the pup was released at Blue Shutters Beach in Charlestown, R.I., joyfully returning to the sea.

Orphan baby gray seal mystic aquarium 5

Orphan baby gray seal mystic aquarium 6

Photo credits: Mystic Aquarium  

8 responses to “Orphan Seal Pup Returns Home to the Sea”

  1. Linda Carruth Avatar
    Linda Carruth

    So happy to see one born to the sea return home.

  2. Wesley Middleton Avatar
    Wesley Middleton

    me too! inspiring. thank you mystic aquarium seal rescuers!

  3. Kristen from MA Avatar
    Kristen from MA

    Awww, good luck little guy!

  4. Shakatany Avatar

    Will the seal know how to survive in the wild??

  5. Mo Ky Fellow Avatar
    Mo Ky Fellow

    Shakatany: He has learned to catch fish. That is about all he needs to know right now.

  6. Christine Kimball Avatar
    Christine Kimball

    Congrats, Mystic! Nice job. He looks great and what outstanding whiskers!

  7. Tom Flapwell Avatar

    Love the fourth photo.

  8. Gina Avatar
    Gina

    Seeing this, I’m reminded of a marine rescue center I visited as a child that greatly affected me. Their website is here: http://pacificmmc.org/index.html
    I’m sure they could use donations. Perhaps you could post about them? I haven’t been there in a long time, but I remember them being very willing to educate, and placing a lot of importance on socializing the animals they rescue so that they could join a pod upon their return for the wild. They even released them in groups, in hopes that they would stick together and help each other in the wild.

Leave a Reply

Discover more from ZooBorns

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading