ESSEX, MASS. (WHDH) - A small harbor seal weanling is on the mend after a marine mammal rescue team found her struggling in Essex, Massachusetts.
The Seacoast Science Center’s Marine Mammal Rescue team said they were first alerted to the animal on Monday, Nov. 27, when they learned that a female harbor seal had been making its way onto the decking of the Essex Marina boat ramp.
Officials initially found small wounds on the seal’s mouth and other minor maladies, but opted to monitor the seal for the time being, noting that she would continue to come and go over the following days.
It was on Wednesday when the rescue team noticed the seal was struggling with breathing and congestion, leading to personnel taking her in.
“Her blood values and examination showed that she’s fighting an infection and her size and weight are small for this time of year,” the SSC Marine Mammal Rescue page stated on Facebook. “Our team triaged and held her overnight to allow her some time to de-stress and stabilize, and on the morning of 11/30 she was transported to a rehabilitation facility.”
On Sunday, the National Marine Life Center gave an update on the seal, now named “Cuyahoga,” after the Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio.
The center stated Cuyahoga was found to have small wounds on her body and flippers, bronchitis, and more, on top of being smaller for her age. The NMLC noted it would continue to post updates on the weanling going forward.
More information on the organization can be found here. Details on the SSC’s Marine Mammal Rescue team can be found here.
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