OCEAN CITY — A rehabilitated juvenile grey seal rescued from the beach at Assateague in April was successfully released into the ocean in neighboring Delaware last week.
In April, a juvenile grey seal, now known affectionately as Lox, was rescued by the National Aquarium’s Animal Rescue Center from Assateague Island. Each year, the National Aquarium picks a theme for naming the many seals and sea turtles it rescues, and this year’s theme was breakfast foods.
When Lox was rescued, he was underweight, dehydrated and presented with difficulty breathing and several wounds, particularly on his fore flippers.
In the weeks since he was rescued, Lox received continual care from National Aquarium staffers including fluid therapy and antibiotics. A few weeks into his rehabilitation, Lox began eating on his own with a steady diet of herring and capelin and gained strength every day on his way to rehabilitation and release at neighboring Delaware Seashore State Park.
With about a dozen onlookers on the beach, Lox exited his carrier and made a bee-line for the ocean, signaling his complete recovery.
Meanwhile, Marmalade, the juvenile harbor seal rescued from the beach in Ocean City in March, is still on the mend and receiving treatment from the staff at the National Aquarium’s Animal Rescue Center. Although Marmalade is making progress, there is currently no timetable for his release. At some point, it appears Marmalade will be released, likely from the same area from which he was rescued.
