Charm City welcomed a sweet addition to town earlier this month when a young Harbor Seal was rescued by the National Aquarium after being found stranded on the beach in Ocean City. The handsome little guy was in rough shape but is now on his way to making a full recovery.
The Aquarium Rescue Team, which is naming all of its 2018 rescues after breakfast foods, is calling the young seal Marmalade.
Marmalade was reported to the Aquarium’s team by seal stewards with the Maryland Coastal Bays Program. He was found having difficulty breathing, cuts, seal pox, and pneumonia. Aquarium experts still aren’t sure what caused his injuries.
The Aquarium reports that Marmalade was treated quickly and given antibiotics and IV fluids. He’s recovering at Baltimore’s Animal Care and Rescue Center with help from Center staff and National Aquarium veterinarians.
As he continues to improve, Marmalade will increase both his activity level and food intake (he was up to 6.6 pounds of fish each day shortly after being found).
Rehab Manager Kate Shaffer says that a stranding such as Marmalade’s isn’t uncommon. “We do see seals stranding in the Ocean City area during late winter/early spring due to changing water temperatures, migrating food sources and other environmental factors.” Marmalade is the first seal that has been rescued this year.
Marmalade’s caregivers will give him the green light for release back into the ocean once he receives a clean bill of health.
-Laura Boycourt
