Yesterday afternoon, our friends at the College of the Atlantic/Allied Whale Stranding program called to see if we were able to provide housing for a grey seal pup that had been swimming off the coast of Vinalhaven Island. A well-intending fisherman found the animal in distress and needing care.
MARC 12-001 Hg, first animal admitted in 2012
The young female grey seal arrived early this morning, covered in a full lanugo coat, with a fresh umbilicus, teeth starting to bud, and a very empty (hungry!) stomach. We estimate her to only be a few days old. She’s active, but hashad a busy 24-hours. Hopefully with some rest, nutrition, and TLC we can get her on the road to a life back in the ocean. This is the youngest grey seal we’ve treated at MARC.
This mornings transport drivers, Lynda and Dominique
Our new pup during her physical exam
She weighs just a mere 15 kg.
Teeth starting to erupt. Her umbilicus is also very fresh.
Checking out her new room after her exam
Our new seal needs a name. If you haven’t had a chance to vote for the 2012 Name Theme, help us choose and we’ll reveal the name of our new pup on Friday!
And don’t forget, we still have a handful of harbor seals hanging out at MARC for treatments! You can view all current patients on the MARC website!
Our posse of harbor seals