Christmas harp seal, Marblehead (December 24-25, 2009)

An adult harp seal visited our shores over the Christmas holiday. The first report of the seal came on December 23; however, the seal was no longer there when Whale Center stranding personnel arrived at the beach in Marblehead. The following day - Christmas Eve - another report came in about a seal in the same area. This time the seal was still here. The seal was thin, had some patches of hair loss, and had cloudy eyes with some discharge, but was still very alert and responsive. Fortunately for the seal, it was resting on a rocky beach in a private neighborhood that was mostly inaccessible to humans so it was not subject to much disturbance. After observing the seal for about an hour and collecting our data, we decided to return the following day to continue our observations. On Christmas day, the seal was still in the same location and its condition had not changed. Our options for capturing the seal for rehab were limited, however, since it was still in a very rocky area. We decided to wait one more day before deciding on a course of action. By the morning of December 26, the seal had left the beach in Marblehead and we were all hoping it was healthy and back out at sea. As it turns out, we learned from our colleagues at the New England Aquarium that the seal showed up on a beach in Quincy a couple of days later and was captured for rehabilitation at the Mystic Aquarium. According to our colleagues at Mystic Aquarium, the seal, a male, had many rocks in his stomach. Sick harp seals sometimes swallow rocks, and this maladaptive behavior may arise from their normal habit of eating snow and ice on the beach. The seal is being treated daily with IV fluids to combat dehydration, and antibiotics to fight off infection.

Harbor seal necropsy, Franklin Park Zoo (November 10,2009)

The following is Whale Center Fall 2009 intern Brittany Hoffnagle’s account of the necropsy:
As an intern for The Whale Center of New England, I am trained to collect behavioral data on the humpback whales in the Gulf of Maine.  In addition, I am also qualified to respond to marine mammal strandings in the Northeast region of Massachusetts.  On November 10, I had the interesting experience of witnessing a necropsy of a recently deceased harbor seal pup, which took place at the Franklin Park Zoo.  This particular seal pup was witnessed alive on the afternoon of Sunday, November 8 and was found dead the next day, which is why staff members from the New England Aquarium believed it was important to perform a necropsy.  Aquarium staff and veterinary students were in charge of the procedure.  After taking various external measurements including body length and blubber thickness, the internal examination began.  Each internal organ was carefully examined for imperfections and damage in the hopes of finding a cause of death.  Samples of each organ were taken and packaged to be tested for bio-toxins and other defining marks.  After careful examination and 3 hours time, the skull showed about a 3-inch hole on the right backside with shattered skull fragments in the vicinity.  It is unimaginable how this seal pup was witnessed alive which such a fractured skull.  While the definite cause of death is unknown, potential causes including a boat strike or unethical human interference.  This is not to say that all marine mammal deaths are human related; there are numerous marine mammals that die naturally but wash ashore due to natural events such as storm.  Overall, the process of responding to a marine mammal stranding, collecting the carcass for necropsy, and, finally, participating in the necropsy was a great experience that was brought full circle and one I will remember for a long time.

Gray seal, Coffins Beach, Gloucester (October 30, 2009)

We received a call about a “very large seal” on Coffins Beach. To our surprise, it was indeed a very large seal, in fact one of the largest to which the Whale Center has ever responded. It measured nearly 7 feet long and weighed an estimated 400 pounds. The seal’s coat coloration of gray with dark spots and a large horse-shaped head with an elongated nose indicated it was a male gray seal (female gray seals don’t have such elongated snouts and have light colored coats with dark spots). The coat was in good condition and there was no evidence of external wounds except for scavenger damage. The foreflippers were broad with long claws at the end, where our fingernails would be. The hind flippers were especially impressive with a large amount of webbing between the "toes" which is used to propel the seal through the water. Many of the teeth – especially the canines and incisors – were worn down, indicating this may have been an old animal.

Harbor seal, Halibut Point State Park, Rockport (October 28, 2009)

A harbor seal pup was resting on the rocks near the surf at Halibut Point State Park. The seal was plump, alert, and appeared to be healthy except for a wound in the mouth area. We decided to let the seal rest for a few hours to see if it would go back to sea on the high tide. If the seal was still there, we would consider capturing it for rehabilitation because of the wound. However, the slippery, rocky area would have made this a bit difficult. Fortunately, the seal was healthy enough to return to the water on its own and was not there when we returned to check on it later that afternoon.

Harbor seal, Plum Island (October 25-26, 2009)

We got a call about a dead seal on Plum Island on October 25. After conducting a thorough search of the area, we did not find the seal. However, after returning to the office, the person who originally reported the seal called to say that someone had buried the seal on the beach and that she had rediscovered it. We returned to Plum Island the following day and found the "burial spot" marked with wooden stakes on the beach. Our data collection didn’t reveal anything out of the ordinary with this seal, but the position in which we found the seal was quite unusual. In the photo, notice that the seal was buried with only its nose is peeking out of the sand! Please remember that seals and other marine mammals are protected by federal law and it is illegal to touch or handle them. If you find a live or dead seal on the beach, please do not touch or move it. Instead call the Whale Center of New England stranding hotline at: 978-281-6351.

Harbor seal, Hoop Pole Cove, Rockport (September 20, 2009)

A harbor seal pup was resting on the rocks and sand in Hoop Pole Cove. During our initial observations in the morning, the seal was alert but had raspy breaths and several lesions on its body. We decided to let it rest and returned to check on it later that afternoon. When we returned to the cove, the seal had already returned to the sea.

Harbor seal, Hodgkins Cove, Gloucester (September 4, 2009)

We responded to a harbor seal pup resting on the seaweed-covered rocks. Its position on the steep rocks did not enable us to approach it closely, but it appeared to be very lethargic. It was resting below the high tide line, so we thought it might go back to the water on the next high tide if it was able. Sure enough, when we returned the following morning, it was gone. Apparently it just needed to rest for a bit in the cove.

Mar 17 Update: The hooded seal was successfully released back into the wild on March 13, after spending nearly 2 months in rehab at the Mystic Aquarium. The seal's main health concern was the presence of three fractured teeth on the upper jaw – two canines and one incisor – which were extracted earlier this month. As hooded seals are carnivorous and feed primarily on fish and squid, the seal was closely monitored post-surgery to be sure that he could still feed on his own after the teeth were extracted. Fortunately, the seal had no trouble catching or eating fish after his surgery, so he was deemed suitable for release back into the wild. In fact, the seal had a hearty appetite the entire time he was in rehab, gaining a total of 22 pounds in just under two months!

The morning of the release was a beautiful, sunny day, and a crowd of approximately 25 people (including Whale Center Assistant Director/Stranding Coordinator Heidi Pearson and interns Barry McGovern and Kelly Robinson) gathered to witness the release on Blue Shutters Beach in Rhode Island. Once the seal was carried in a kennel down to the beach and the door was opened approximately 30 feet from the water’s edge, we all expected him to make a dash for the water. However, the seal hesitated for about 10 minutes, as assessing his new surroundings. Finally, he began heading across the sand towards the surf in the inchworm-like movement pattern which is typical of seals. Once he reached the surf, he turned to look back at everyone on the beach one last time, and then he disappeared amongst the waves. A small cheer arose from the crowd as everyone was thrilled to see the seal back home again.

Feb 17 Update: The hooded seal continues to do well in rehab at Mystic Aquarium. Extraction of his fractured tooth, originally planned for earlier this month, was postponed because the seal developed pneumonia. Fortunately, the pneumonia is beginning to subside, and once the veterinary staff has the pneumonia under control, the tooth will be extracted. If all goes well and his bloodwork continues to show no further signs of disease or infection, he should be ready for re-release!

Jan 23 Update: We are pleased to report that the hooded seal is doing well in the rehabilitation facility at the Mystic Aquarium. After arriving at the Aquarium on January 17, veterinary personnel examined the seal and reported that it was a male weighing 61 pounds and measuring 41 inches long. Blood samples and x-rays were also obtained, and IV's were administered. Everything appeared normal except for two fractured teeth which could be causing infection. Veterinary personnel plan to extract one tooth next week. Otherwise, he is doing well and was even eating fish during his second day of rehab, which is a great sign! Please stay tuned for further updates.

Hooded Seal, Lane's Cove, Gloucester (January 15, 2009)

The Whale Center responded to a report of a young seal lying on the ice and snow near Lane's Cove in Gloucester. As it was late in the day and getting dark, we didn't have time to conduct a full health assessment of the seal, but we did identify the seal as a young hooded seal less than a year old. We also noted that the seal was lethargic and had some drainage in the eye area. The next day, we were able to fully assess the health of the seal, and confirmed our initial report of fatigue and eye mucous. We decided to monitor the seal for another day to see if his condition improved. By Saturday morning (January 17), we could see no signs of the seal attempting to re-enter the water, and his condition was not improving. After consulting with the veterinarians and stranding response team at the New England Aquarium, we decided the best course of action was to capture the seal for rehabilitation. The seal is currently being cared for at Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut, and seems to be doing quite well. He is even eating the fish offered to him, which is a very good sign!

We will continue to post updates about this seal as we continue our communication with Mystic Aquarium. During the winter, it is common to see "ice seals" hooded and harp seals on Cape Ann as they make their way south from Canada. Hooded seals are unique because they have the shortest lactation period of any seal just 4 days! During this nursing period, pups may gain up to 11 pounds per day by drinking their mother's 60% fat milk. Please remember that if you do see a seal or other marine mammal on shore, do not attempt to approach or touch the animal but instead call the Whale Center stranding hotline at 978-281-6351. Photographs taken by Chris Pearson, under authority of the Whale Center of New England.