Marine Animal Rehabilitation Center releases 12 seal pups

Biddeford, Maine — Fifteen harbor seal pups are back in the wild following the University of New England Marine Animal Rehabilitation Center's first five seal pup releases of the season on July 9,  July 16, Aug. 1,  Aug. 15,  and Sept. 2, 2008 at Granite Point in Biddeford.

The July 9th release was the earliest for the Marine Animal Rehabilitation Center (MARC).

Seal pups abandoned during the spring harbor seal pupping season are brought to MARC for care and rehabilitation.

This year the pups, who were all still dependent on their mothers when they were found, were fed a new formula, which allowed them to grow more quickly. The less time the seals spend in captivity, the less likely they are to become dependent on humans.

MARC is a unit of UNE's Marine Science Education and Research Center.

The three seals released Sept. 2 were:

"Marie"
MARC 08-058 Pv
Harbor Seal
Phoca vitulina
Arrival Date: 6/9/2008
Stranded At: Goose Rocks, Kennebunkport, ME
Rescued by: Maine Department of Marine Resources
Gender: Female
Age: Pup (< 1 yr.)
Reason for Rehabilitation:
Extremely underweight, maternal separation
Release Date: 9/2/2008
Released At: Granite Point, Biddeford, ME 
 
"Penny"
MARC 08-055 Pv
Harbor Seal
Phoca vitulina
Arrival Date: 6/7/2008
Stranded At: Martinsville, ME
Rescued by: Maine Department of Marine Resources
Gender: Female
Age: Pup (< 1 yr.)
Reason for Rehabilitation:
Lethargy Absesses Difficulty Breathing
Release Date: 9/2/2008
Released At: Granite Point, Biddeford, ME 
 
"Jenny"
MARC 08-053 Pv
Harbor Seal
Phoca vitulina
Arrival Date: 6/5/2008
Stranded At: Ram Island, Islesboro, ME
Rescued by: College of the Atlantic
Gender: Female
Age: Pup (< 1 yr.)
Reason for Rehabilitation:
Ataxic (gross incoordination of muscle movements); Retrobulbar abscess (infection/pus behind the eye)
Release Date: 9/2/2008
Released At: Granite Point, Biddeford, ME

The two seals released Aug. 15th were:

"Evinrude"
MARC 08-050 Pv
Harbor Seal
Phoca vitulina
Arrival Date: 6/2/2008
Stranded At: Great Diamond Island, Portland, ME
Rescued by: Maine Department of Marine Resources
Gender: Male
Age: Pup (< 1 yr.)
Reason for Rehabilitation:
Maternal Separation
Release Date: 8/15/2008
Released At: Granite Point, Biddeford

"Jasmine"
MARC 08-046 Pv
Harbor Seal
Phoca vitulina
Arrival Date: 5/28/2008
Stranded At: ., ME
Rescued by: Maine Department of Marine Resources
Gender: Female
Age: Pup (< 1 yr.)
Reason for Rehabilitation:
Maternal separation
Release Date: 8/15/2008
Released At: Granite Point, Biddeford

The five seals released Aug. 1st were:

"Georgette"
MARC 08-052 Pv
Harbor Seal
Phoca vitulina
Arrival Date: 6/3/2008
Stranded At: Eastern Harbor, Addison, ME
Rescued by: College of the Atlantic
Gender: Female
Age: Pup (< 1 yr.)
Admit Weight: 18 lbs. (8.10 kg)
Admit Length: 74 cm
Reason for Rehabilitation:
Maternal Separation 

"Helga"
MARC 08-047 Pv
Harbor Seal
Phoca vitulina
Arrival Date: 5/28/2008
Stranded At: ., ME
Rescued by: Maine Department of Marine Resources
Gender: Female
Age: Pup (< 1 yr.)
Admit Weight: 17 lbs. (7.90 kg)
Admit Length: 76 cm
Reason for Rehabilitation:
Maternal separation 

"Chief"
MARC 08-036 Pv
Harbor Seal
Phoca vitulina
Arrival Date: 5/24/2008
Stranded At: Deer Isle, ME
Rescued by: College of the Atlantic
Gender: Male
Age: Pup (< 1 yr.)
Admit Weight: 20 lbs. (9.05 kg)
Admit Length: 76 cm
Reason for Rehabilitation:
Injured left hind flipper 

"Darling"
MARC 08-034 Pv
Harbor Seal
Phoca vitulina
Arrival Date: 5/21/2008
Stranded At: Scarborough Beach, Scarborough, ME
Rescued by: Maine Department of Marine Resources
Gender: Female
Age: Pup (< 1 yr.)
Admit Weight: 17 lbs. (7.80 kg)
Admit Length: 77 cm
Reason for Rehabilitation:
Maternal separation 
 
"Ziggy"
MARC 08-029 Pv
Harbor Seal
Phoca vitulina
Arrival Date: 5/5/2008
Stranded At: Sandy Cove, Falmouth, ME
Rescued by: Maine Department of Marine Resources
Gender: Male
Age: Pup (< 1 yr.)
Admit Weight: 20 lbs. (8.95 kg)
Admit Length: 70 cm
Reason for Rehabilitation:
Maternal separation

The two seals released July 16th were:

"Amelia"
MARC 08-032 Pv
Harbor Seal
Phoca vitulina
Arrival Date: 5/16/2008
Stranded At: McGee Island, Rockland, ME
Rescued by: Maine Department of Marine Resources
Gender: Female
Age: Pup (< 1 yr.)
Release Weight: 34 lbs. (15.65 kg)
Reason for Rehabilitation:
Maternal separation
Released At: Granite Point, Biddeford, ME
Amelia was rescued by Dept of Marine Resources and brought to us on 5/16/08 as a newborn pup.  She weighed only 6.2 kgs and was over 15.65 kgs at the time of release.

"Max"
MARC 08-039 Pv
Harbor Seal
Phoca vitulina
Arrival Date: 5/25/2008
Stranded At: Harpswell, ME
Rescued by: Maine Department of Marine Resources
Gender: Male
Age: Pup (< 1 yr.)
Release Weight: 45 lbs. (20.30 kg)
Reason for Rehabilitation:
Maternal separation
Released At: Granite Point, Biddeford, ME 
Max, also rescued by Dept of Marine Resources and was brought to us on 5/25/08 as a maternally dependent pup at 10.25 kgs.  He weighed over 20.30 kgs at the time of release.

The three seals released July 9th were:

"Squeeks"
MARC 08-028 Pv
Harbor Seal
Phoca vitulina
Arrival Date: 4/25/2008
Stranded At: Cape Split, Addison, ME
Rescued by: College of the Atlantic
Gender: Female
Age: Pup (< 1 yr.)
Reason for Rehabilitation:
Maternal separation
Release Date: 7/9/2008
Released At: Granite Point, Biddeford, ME
Squeeks was rescued by College of the Atlantic and brought to MARC on 4/25/08 as a newborn (probably premature) pup.  She weighed only 8.7 kgs on arrival and weighed more than 22kgs on release.

"Peg"
MARC 08-030 Pv
Harbor Seal
Phoca vitulina
Arrival Date: 5/5/2008
Stranded At: Great Waas Island, Machias, ME
Rescued by: College of the Atlantic
Gender: Female
Age: Pup (< 1 yr.)
Reason for Rehabilitation:
Maternal separation
Release Date: 7/9/2008
Released At: Granite Point, Biddeford, ME
Peg, also rescued by College of the Atlantic, was brought to MARC on 5/5/08 as a maternally dependent pup at 7.1 kgs.  She weighed over 19 kgs on release

"Abbigail"
MARC 08-031 Pv
Harbor Seal
Phoca vitulina
Arrival Date: 5/11/2008
Stranded At: Scarborough Beach, Scarborough, ME
Rescued by: Maine Department of Marine Resources
Gender: Female
Age: Pup (< 1 yr.)
Reason for Rehabilitation:
Maternal separation
Release Date: 7/9/2008
Released At: Granite Point, Biddeford, ME
Abbigail, rescued by the Department of Marine Resources, came to MARC on 5/11/08 also as a maternally dependent pup at 8.4 kg and weighed over 17kgs on release.

July is a busy time for the MARC because so many seals are being born in Maine between May and July. If you see a seal that looks like it's in trouble, you should not approach it. Instead, call the Maine Marine Animal Reporting Hotline at 1-800-532-9551.

(News release posted July 16, 2008)