Weanling season is here! The last few days have kept our team very busy, with 4 live weanling harbor seals. These are seals that were just born a few weeks ago and are newly weaned from mom and trying to figure out life on their own. With both rehabilitation facilities at capacity at
Read MoreThis afternoon we received a report from a lifeguard at Salisbury Beach of a small live seal. This female weanling harbor seal had hauled out to take a rest; it was clear she was very tired. Life for these newly weaned pups can be very tough at times. At about a month and a half
Read MoreThe red lionfish (Pterois volitans) is a venomous coral reef fish that makes its way all the way up to the Gulf of Maine during the warmer summer months. Native to the Indo-Pacific region, lionfish were accidentally introduced into the Western Atlantic. Because they have no known predators, they have become an invasive species.
Read MoreThese two seals kept us busy today! Both of our rehabilitation facilities, National Marine Life Center and Mystic Aquarium, are full. So we monitor the animals and relocate them if necessary.
The first animal is a harbor seal pup, likely newly weaned from Mom. She is alert and responsive, but thin and dehydrated. She is
Yesterday afternoon we responded to this harbor seal pup at the southern end of Bass Beach. Those that reported him to the hotline shared with us that it was small, active, plump, and vocal. This tells us that it was a pup still dependent on its mom. Luckily, a person who reported the seal captured
Read MoreWhen our team responds to a deceased marine mammal on the shore, we mark it with a paint stick to indicate that we have accessed the carcass, taken photographs, and collected necessary data. However, the surf often removes the markings, making it necessary for us to remark the animal. Thank you to everyone that has called
Read MoreDuring the past two days, our team has been monitoring a yearling male gray seal on Salisbury Beach. As you can see from the photo, he is suffering from a serious case of alopecia/hair loss. This has been found in gray seals to be caused by a fungal infection and sometimes in conjunction with a
Read MoreOcean Runner Nichole finds SSC’s Marine Mammal Rescue volunteer Patty Adell monitoring a gray seal on a Hampton, NH beach during her afternoon run. Patty fills her in on what to do and not do if you encounter a seal on the beach (dead or alive): stay back and call the MMR hotline at
Read MoreThis past week responded to another young gray seal, this time on Crane Beach in Ipswich, MA. We waited to share this seal, because she stuck around the area for 2 1/2 days. But we are happy to report that as we were considering where to relocate her because our rehabilitation facilities are full, she
Read More
Watch our a rare blue American Lobster (Homarus americanus) molting is this sped-up video. This blue lobster is only about one in about 5 million; a blue lobster is missing most of its red and yellow pigments.
When a lobster grows too big for its carapace, it struggles out of it. At the same