SEALebrity Seal Release!

The National Marine Life Center is releasing three successfully rehabilitated “sealebrity” harbor seal pups back to the wild, and you are invited to attend!

RELEASE DETAILS:
WHO: Luseal Ball, Teddy Roosealvelt, Queen Sealizabeth
WHAT: Rehabilitated harbor seal pups
WHEN: Thursday, August 4, 2016
TIME: 7:00 PM (approximate)
WHERE: Scusset Beach State Reservation, 20 Scusset Beach Road, Sandwich, MA
WHY: To release healthy, rehabilitated pups back to their ocean home!

The three seal pups were rescued because each had been separated from its mother. This happens for a number of reasons, including human interaction. Harbor seal moms leave their pups on the beach to rest while the moms go offshore to feed. Sometimes well-meaning interference by humans who think the pup has been abandoned can scare the seal mom away permanently and thus cause separation to occur. Please, remember to stay at least 50 yards away from any beached seal.

At the time of their arrival, the pups were considered maternally dependent, meaning they could not survive on their own. NMLC staff and volunteers had to teach the young animals how to swim and eat fish, as the pups’ mothers were not present to teach them these critical life lessons.

“Teddy Roosealvelt” was NMLC’s first male harbor seal pup of the season. He was rescued from Blue Hill, Maine by College of the Atlantic, Allied Whale on May 25. As a result of his abandonment, he was dehydrated and malnourished. He was given a room that was already inhabited with another feisty little seal pup, Luseal Ball.

“Luseal Ball” was brought to us just the day before on May 24. She was also rescued by Allied Whale, this time from Deer Isle, Maine. Similar to Teddy, she had to learn to swim and eat on her own. These two overcame these obstacles together, until they were joined by “the Queen.”

“Queen Sealizabeth” was rescued from Owl’s Head, Maine by Marine Mammals of Maine on May 30th. She was admitted to NMLC on June 3, and quickly made great strides to overcome her rocky start in life. Originally in a separate pen, she was eventually moved into the room with Teddy and Luseal so the three could socialize and learn from each other.

This socialization and learning occasionally brought humorous moments. In the wild, a pup will sometimes climb on its mom’s back when it tires of swimming. Teddy was observed on numerous occasions climbing on his roommates’ backs. They did not appreciate the gesture, perhaps because Teddy was so much larger than they were!

Now, fully healed, able to swim and eat on their own, and easily doubling their admit weight, Teddy, Luseal, and Queen are going home!

You can help send more seals home! Adopt Teddy, Luseal, or Queen. All adoption proceeds go to help future seal patients. Or, make a donation. Your donation directly buys the food, medicine, and care our wildlife patients need to recover and be released back to the wild.

On behalf of our sealebrities, thank you!