Harbor Seal Sighting

[WckedMidas]

http://www.aqua.org/oceanhealth_sealsighting.html

Marine Animal Rescue Program - MARP : Animal Tracking : Harbor Seal : Harbor Seal Sighting

Harbor Seal Sighting
Harbor Seal Closeup


On April 27, staff of the Aquarium’s Marine Animal Rescue Program (MARP), received an important phone call from scientists operating Whalenet, a marine animal research web site.

A member of the Nantucket stranding team had spotted Sand Dollar, the young harbor seal released by MARP in March, off the coast of Nantucket. The observer noticed the satellite tag and contacted Whalenet to see which seal was in the area.

Postive Signs
David Schofield, the Aquarium's Manager of Ocean Health Programs, commented, “The sighting is especially exciting because it was made by a trained expert in marine animal rescue, and all indications are that Sand Dollar is strong, healthy, and assimilating quickly to life in the wild.”

The observer noted that the seal was extremely active, diving and re-surfacing, engaged in healthy behaviors and activities.

The seal spent approximately two weeks in the Nantucket area before taking a southern turn towards its present location.

Animal Tracking
The harbor seal is one of four animals currently being tracked by the MARP team and its affiliates along the east coast. Keep an eye on this site to follow Sand Dollar's progress.

The Aquarium is also tracking a rough tooth dolphin released in April and two leatherback sea turtles. To view information about the turtle tracking, visit the ANAI web site.

 

[WckedMidas]

Marine Animal Rescue Program - MARP : Animal Tracking : Harbor Seal

Harbor Seal
Following the Path of a Seal Returned to the Wild
map



Harbor Seal Sighting

Seal leaves crate to return to sea.


The Marine Animal Rescue Program (MARP) released a young harbor seal on Tuesday, March 15. The seal, named Sand Dollar, was outfitted with a satellite tracking tag and its movements are being monitored.

The seal is the first ever released on the Delmarva Peninsula.

Harbor seals live in cool climates, and New Jersey is home to the most southerly your-round population on the east coast. However, these seals often travel further south, and during the winter they are regular visitors to the Delmarva Peninsula.

Sand Dollar’s injuries were sustained in waters near Virginia Beach, Virginia on January 3, 2005, and scientists agree that releasing this and other animals in the regions where they strand often makes sense.


Seal with satellite tracking device Stranding and Rehabilitation
The seal was less than one year old when she stranded. Malnourished and dehydrated, she had experienced traumatic injuries to the left side of her head, neck, and eye.

Scientists and caretakers from the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center were the first to respond. A month later, she was transported to Baltimore for the MARP team to provide care.

Before the seal could be released, an ophthalmologist evaluated her eye and determined that there may be some minor vision loss, but not enough to prevent successful hunting once returned to the wild.

After completing an extensive rehabilitation, MARP staff took further steps to ensure that the animal would be able to hunt on its own and survive once released. For three weeks, the seal successfully hunted live fish that were put into the facility where she was housed.

Tracking
The satellite tag will fall off when she sheds her fur. Experts hope that data transmitted will provided insights into her movements, feeding patterns, and other behaviors.

The data helps scientists to analyze the long-term success of this seal’s re-integration into the wild. More importantly, the data provides an opportunity to gain insight into the lives of all seals in their natural habitats.

 

[guppy]

Back in 94 I saw a well meaning tourist try to rescue an "abandoned" harbor seal pup. It bit the hell out of him and mom popped up and gave him a nip of her own, I laughed so hard I kicked my tackle box off the rock and had to go swimming for it. Moral is don't touch.