OCEAN CITY — A male juvenile harbor seal, affectionately known now as “Marmalade,” was rescued from the beach in Ocean City and is on the mend.
On Saturday, March 24, the juvenile seal was rescued from the beach in Ocean City by the National Aquarium’s Animal Rescue Team and is now receiving immediate medical care and long-term rehabilitation at the facility’s Animal Care and Rescue Center in Baltimore.
The young seal has been named Marmalade in keeping with the aquarium’s policy each year of naming rescued seals, sea turtles and other creatures with a theme. This year’s theme is breakfast foods. Marmalade is the first rescue seal admitted to the National Aquarium’s Animal Care and Rescue Center. He joins 30 rescued sea turtles all with breakfast food-themed names including Waffle and Hashbrown.
Each winter, migrating seals of various species and sizes pass through the mid-Atlantic region as part of their normal migratory patterns and more than a few haul out on the beaches in and around Ocean City and Assateague. Many are simply resting or sunning themselves along their journey, while others are ill or injured.
In Marmalade’s case, the juvenile Harbor seal had multiple illnesses and injuries which are now being treated. When Marmalade was rescued after stranding on the beach in Ocean City, he presented with labored breathing, lacerations on his body and pneumonia. Marmalade is also battling seal pox on his left front flipper, an uncomfortable ailment which is also contagious to other seals.
As a result, Marmalade is receiving daily care from the animal rescue team and National Aquarium veterinarians at the facility in Baltimore. The juvenile seal has received IV fluids and antibiotics and will continue to undergo blood work.
However, his condition has stabilized and he continues to increase his activity level and caloric intake. According to aquarium officials, Marmalade is now eating nearly seven pounds of fish daily.
Marmalade will continue to receive care from the aquarium’s expert teams and will be monitored and thoroughly reviewed for release back into the ocean when his health has rebounded, although it is uncertain when that might happen. Typically, seals and other marine mammals and sea turtles are released back into the wild from beaches around the region, often in the same area from which they were rescued.
