Eloise the Rescue Seal Returns to Ocean After 42-Day Recovery at National Aquarium
On Feb. 12, a very young grey seal pup was discovered in Cape Henlopen, Delaware. Her mother was nowhere to be found, and she was malnourished with cuts on her neck. After being held briefly by the Marine Education…
On Feb. 12, a very young grey seal pup was discovered in Cape Henlopen, Delaware. Her mother was nowhere to be found, and she was malnourished with cuts on her neck.
After being held briefly by the Marine Education, Research and Rehabilitation Institute, on Valentine’s Day she was transported to the Animal Care and Rescue Center at the National Aquarium, where she stayed for over a month.
After evaluation, the seal pup — dubbed “Eloise” — was determined to be less than a month old, one of the youngest seals the center has ever rescued and the youngest so far this year.
Eloise came in weighing 28 pounds and was still in the stage where she would be dependent on her mother for nourishment in the wild, according to the National Aquarium.
“Though Eloise quickly progressed to the next stage in her rehabilitation, she is still considered maternally-dependent pup, meaning that if she were in her natural habitat, she would be relying on her mother for milk,” the National Aquarium posted on March 26.
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In order for Eloise to be released back into the wild, she would need to be in good condition and double her weight.