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Rescued Seal Pup Returns to the Wild: Heartwarming Video
The Marine Mammal Stranding Center has announced that a female gray seal pup that was discovered during a nor'easter in January in the middle of the road at Point Pleasant Beach has been rehabilitated and released back into the wild.
When the underweight and dehydrated gray seal was placed on the beach in the North Brigantine Natural Area on March 25, the center reported that she had recovered and weighed almost 80 pounds.
A video of the release was posted by officials on the center's Facebook page. Five more gray seals were released in addition to the one from Point Pleasant Beach. These included two from Sea Isle City, one from Island Beach State Park, and one from Bethany Beach in Delaware.
According to center authorities, the sixth seal was a female who had been brought in for a 24-hour observation and was found to be in good health and not in need of rehabilitation.
The Point Pleasant Beach seal, identified by her right rear flipper's No. 66 tag, was the first to exit her crate upon release, according to the center.
"She had become the most dominant seal in the pool, so it was interesting to watch her check out all the crates and not leave the beach until the final seal entered the water," according to the center. "She was last spotted interacting with one of the males, with both seals continuing to splash each other in the distance."
The Marine Mammal Stranding Center was able to accept more patients after the six seals were released, and last week it brought in three more, bringing the total number of seals receiving care there to sixteen.
For the seals it helps, the
Marine Mammal Stranding Center has a symbolic adoption program. The following seals have been released and are up for adoption: 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). You can find them on the adoption page of the center.
