Holiday Seal Release – Sunday 12/23/12

December 21st, 2012 by Shannon

Grattoni - heads back to the ocean just in time for a little holiday cheer at sea.

Date:  Sunday, December 23, 2012 (Even if it snows!… fingers crossed for sunshine, though!)
Who?  Grattoni the harbor seal
Grattoni arrived to MARC in September, thanks to the great folks at Marine Mammals of Maine.  He was treated for a severely abscessed right shoulder which had developed into an infection of the bone in his flipper.  Thankfully, after several months of antibiotics and care, he has healed and is ready to return to the wild.
Kennel Door Opens at:  11:00 am (Be there early!)
Blubber Hits the Water at:  ~11:01 am (Blink and you’ll miss it)
Location:  Gilbert Place, on Biddeford Pool, Biddeford, Maine (as you enter Gilbert Place, veer to the left for public parking) Get Directions  Please drive carefully, mind speed limits and be respectful of the neighbors.  Thanks!

What to Bring:

  • Cameras
  • Good Vibes
  • Donations for our “Seas the Day:: December Days of Giving” Fundraiser
  • Need a last minute holiday gift?  Bring along some cash – shirts and other merchandise available beachside
  • All encouraged but not required.


UNE/MARC is a 501 (c) (3) not for profit organization that operates the only Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle rehabilitation program in Maine.  Each year MARC treats nearly 100 animals.  You can adopt a seal by calling 207-221-4228.  For information about UNE/MARC, to adopt an animal or to become a member, please visit us on the web at www.une.edu/marc, or call us at 207-221-4228.

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Seas the Day:: MARC’s December Days of Donating

December 12th, 2012 by Shannon

Happy December!  Another year is nearing the end and we have been busy at MARC!  Thanks to so much community support from our volunteers, students and donors, we have helped to provide care for nearly 100 animals in 2012.  That number may climb to over 100 animals in the next week – as we plan to assist New England Aquarium by transferring another batch of sea turtles to MARC for care.  Each sea turtle costs several thousand dollars to support during the course of their rehabilitation – and returning healthy turtles to the wild is one of the most important things we do at MARC.  While we receive generous support from the University of New England and federal grant programs, we rely heavily on donations to keep our program afloat.

     

Join us for Seas the Day:: MARC’s December Days of Donating!!! 

Each day – now through December 31st, we will be highlighting several small items that benefit the MARC program in some way.  Bring one (or a few) items along to the MARC hospital (or send them in the mail) and we’ll walk you behind the scenes of our operations – to see where all the magic happens.

Every day between now and New Year’s Eve – come by between the hours of 10 am – 4 pm to deliver some items and visit the MARC hospital.  (We will be closed to the public on Christmas Eve/Day and New Year’s Eve/Day).

  • Dawn Soap – Help us keep our hospital clean!
  • Thermometers, like this one - preferably waterproof, flexible, unused.   These help us monitor the temperatures of our seals  very accurately!
  • Hand Soap (antibacterial) – Help our volunteers stay germ-free
  • Hose Nozzles (prefer those coated in rubber) – They are used daily to clean seal/turtle/porpoise rooms
  • Mr. Clean Magic Erasers – Do a great job of super-cleaning our animal pools
  • Sponges – excellent for dish-washing
  • 3M Green Scrubbers, like these – perfect for scrubbing fish scales off of all surfaces
  • A few really durable kitchen knives. – for cutting up squid and fish.  Those without wooden handles are even better!
  • A knife sharpener – help us preserve the life of the knives we use regularly.
  • Adopt an Animal – through our online adoption program – every dollar helps the animals at MARC
  • Donate! – online (or mail a check) – All donations are tax-deductable.
  • Gift Cards – We frequently shop for animal supplies at places like:  Home Depot, CVS, Lowe’s, Hannaford, Rite-Aid, Target, Walmart
  • Gift Cards – Perhaps you want to enrich the lives of our generous volunteers??  Provide cards to places like Dunkin Donuts, Tim Hortons, Starbucks, Hannaford, etc and we can purchase snacks and coffee for our volunteer training days (and nights).
  • Iodized Salt – Cheap, but does wonders for keeping out salty seals, well, salty.  Purchase at your grocery store – and we use it all year round to supplement feeds and other vitamins.
  • Glucose Tablets – manufactured for people, but we RELY on them for seals who need help with their blood sugar.  It’s added right to their feeds to keep them balanced.
  • Duct tape – grey, black, orange, purple, yellow, green, red, blue, blue: we use these colors regularly in our facility.
  • WD40 – salt water in our hospital causes lots of squeeky doors and wheels.  One small can keeps us squeek-free for weeks.
  • More items coming daily!!!

Help us offset the costs of caring for the animals, by helping us to stock many of the items in our hospital that we otherwise have to purchase!  To drop off your donation, please come by our office or mail donations to the address below!

MARC at the Marine Science Center – Room 132 (first floor near elevator)
11 Hill’s Beach Road – map
Biddeford, Maine 04005

**Park in Lot #15.  Walk across the street and up gated driveway to find our building (#17)!

Our animals can rest easy this holiday season thanks to you!

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What Lurks Beneath the Surface

October 31st, 2012 by Shannon

The Halloween Edition!!!!!

This creepy, crawly Halloween blog contains information provided by the James Sulikowski Lab at the University of New England. 

On Thursday October 25th, James Sulikowski and a team of 5 students went out on the Llyr, a UNE research vessel, to our favorite sturgeon grounds, a spot in between the jetties at the mouth of the Saco River. With a suite of 5 nets, we caught a total of 14 Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus). The largest sturgeon we caught was brought back to the lab and is being housed in one of the MARC tanks (the tank Noodle had been swimming in), and can be seen from the windows on the upper floor of the Marine Science Center.

Historically, sturgeon have been fished for both their meat and caviar, however, their populations could not withstand the fishing pressure. They are now protected under the Endangered Species Act where Atlantic sturgeon are classified as threatened in the Gulf of Maine and endangered everywhere else in their range, while shortnose sturgeon are endangered everywhere. Because of this status, the more we can learn about these fish – the better!

Our lab is actively working to better understand these fish by looking at size, diet, movement and physiology of the sturgeon we catch in the Saco River. Before they are released, all of our sturgeon are given a full “work up” which includes an internal tag (PIT) an external tag (Tbar), 5 different size measurements (see below), a DNA sample and a blood sample. These 2 tags will help us (or other researchers) to identify the sturgeon if it is ever caught again. Some sturgeon are additionally given an acoustic tag. In the river, we have a series of acoustic receivers which can detect every time a sturgeon with an acoustic tag swims by. The receiver will record the exact time that this sturgeon was at that location and we can later collect this data. What’s especially awesome about acoustic tags is that other researchers have receivers in other locations and they can alert us if they ever spot our sturgeon.

In an effort to transfer the sturgeon you now see in the MARC tank to the lab as quickly as possible—and to minimize stress—we haven’t measured it yet and therefore don’t know its exact size; but if I were to guess, I’d say it’s about 6 feet long. Normally, we will set these fish free as soon as we have collected all data points and they have recovered from being handled. However, this sturgeon was brought back to the lab so that we can attach a satellite tag to it. This tag will record pressure and temperature data and store it until the tag pops off, floats to the surface and transmits this data via satellite to us. This sturgeon will be going back in the river soon so make sure to stop by the Marine Science Center and check it out while you can!

Special thanks to Laura Whitefleet-Smith of the Sulikowski Lab for sharing some details about this giant fish.

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A Porpoise in Life – Meet Noodle!

October 19th, 2012 by Shannon

While our seal patients give us day-to-day purpose, very occasionally we find added reasons to work hard, like caring for a porpoise.

MMoMe and MARC Staff moving Noodle into the Hospital

“Noodle” arrived to MARC on Wednesday evening.  He was found in Brunswick, Maine at the outgoing tide and was collected and transported to us by Marine Mammals of Maine (MMoMe) (www.mmome.org).  They are a newly formed non-profit that responds to marine mammals in southern Maine.  The young, male harbor porpoise arrived around 7 pm to our hospital and initial assessment revealed very little about the cause of stranding.

Admit Physical and Blood Exam

He’s in healthy body condition and blood results looked normal.  He is a very low stress guy.  Estimated age is 1-2 years.  He is just over 50 pounds.

MMoMe and MARC Staff lower Noodle into shallow pool

When he was placed in the water, it took quite a bit of effort for him to swim.  We started with 3 people supporting him in the pool, so he would be able to reach the surface to breath through his blowhole.  They were also there to help him avoid hitting walls while he learned his way around.

Lynda Doughty, Executive Director, Marine Mammals of Maine, supports Noodle during his first few moments in the pool

After a few hours, it became apparent that the animal was going to require constant help surfacing and navigating until he regained some strength.  At midnight Weds/Thurs, we constructed a support raft from pool noodles (hence, the name “Noodle”) to help him float.  After 5 minutes of being in his apparatus, Noodle calmed down and started swimming around with ease.

Volunteers assist Noodle as he adjusts to his flotation system

He spent the next 24 hours in this quickly crafted life-jacket, resting and recuperating.  Over the course of the 24 hours, we gave him a few chances to swim without, but he was still very tired and sinking.  At about 4 am this morning, we tried again, and Noodle was able to swim with ease and surface to breathe.  He has been “noodle-free” since that time.
Noodle’s first 24-hours in the hospital were all about rest and hydration.  He received several tube-feedings of fluids, but starting Thursday afternoon, we started to offer him fish.  It took a few rounds of assist-feeding (placing the fish in his mouth until he swallows) to get him started, but by Friday morning he was swimming and diving to catch the fish in the water column.
We’ll continue to update on Noodle’s case as often as we can.  To learn more about Noodle and all of our patients, please visit our website.
Special thanks to MMoMe‘s Staff and volunteers for transport and beach assessment (and spending Noodle’s first evening with us), Cabela’s for providing some amazing gear to keep our volunteers/staff warm in the pool, and our Frolic for Flippers 5K sponsors, whose generosity continues to help us everyday and our dedicated volunteers for sitting poolside with Noodle and monitoring him while he recovers.

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TWO Seal Releases – Sat 10/13 and Sun 10/14!!!!!

October 12th, 2012 by Shannon

We have so many healthy weanlings ready to head back to sea!!!!  We are doubling up the fun and hosting TWO seal releases this weekend.  Join us both Saturday 10/13/2012 and Sunday 10/14/2012 to say goodbye to SEVEN of our flippered friends!

Date:  Saturday, October 13, 2012 (Rain or  Shine)
Who?  Maultasche, Maltagliati, Carbonara and Marille

Date: Sunday, October 14, 2012 (Rain or  Shine)
Who?  Vermicelli, , Orzo and Acini di pepe


Kennel Door Opens at:  11:30 am (Be there early!) on both Saturday and Sunday
Blubber Hits the Water at:  ~11:31 am (Blink and you’ll miss it)

Location:  Gilbert Place, on Biddeford Pool, Biddeford, Maine (as you enter Gilbert Place, veer to the left for public parking) Get Directions  Please drive carefully, mind speed limits and be respectful of the neighbors.  Thanks!

What to Bring:

  • Cameras
  • Good Vibes
  • Donations for the MARC program – Every dollar helps!

Thanks to our 2012 Frolic for Flippers 5K Sponsors!!!

UNE/MARC is a 501 (c) (3) not for profit organization that operates the only Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle rehabilitation program in Maine.  Each year MARC treats nearly 100 animals.  You can adopt a seal by calling 207-221-4228.  For information about UNE/MARC, to adopt an animal or to become a member, please visit us on the web at www.une.edu/marc, or call us at 207-221-4228.

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