Adult harp seal rescued from New Jersey beach thousands of miles from natural habitat

By Matthew Cavallo

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    BRIGANTINE, New Jersey (KYW) — The Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine, New Jersey, welcomed a big new patient last week. A 154-pound harp seal was hauled out of Brant Beach in Long Beach Island on March 8.

In a post on Facebook, the MMSC said the seal’s behavior on the beach was observed for 24 hours by the Stranding Center staff and certified Stranding Volunteers local to the area.

When the seal didn’t move on the following morning and showed evidence of consuming sand, staff members, volunteers and the Long Beach Township Department of Public Works loaded and transported the seal to the Stranding Center.

Once admitted, staff immediately began supportive care via tube feeding to rehydrate the seal, and started treatment to flush the sand out of his system with fluids and mineral oil.

“Harp seals are one of our most fascinating winter visitors,” MMSC said in the post. “We typically see juveniles and two-to-three year-olds, but are sometimes graced by the beautiful black and white adult Harp seals on our beaches. These seals are named for the dark harp-shaped pattern on their back that forms in their adult coat. This species is most commonly found dwelling on the ice in the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, but have been known to travel as far south as Virginia in the winter.”

The Stranding Center says the seal is currently resting comfortably and has already started to eat fish on his own.

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