Grey seal pup rescued by National Aquarium from Assateague Island
PHOTO: Philip Smith, National Aquarium
MARYLAND (FOX 5 DC) - A grey seal pup that is too young to survive in the ocean without its mother has been rescued by the National Aquarium and is on its way to learning how to survive on its own.
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Aquarium staff welcomed the grey seal pup, nicknamed Louis Armstrong, on Feb. 26. The pup was rescued from Assateague Island National Seashore where he was found stranded and dehydrated with wounds of unknown origin to his face and left flipper.
He has been nicknamed Louis Armstrong in keeping with the National Aquarium’s 2021-2022 rescue season naming theme of musicians and instruments.
PHOTO: Philip Smith, National Aquarium
Weighing in at just 35 pounds, the Animal Rescue team was quickly able to determine that Louis was born sometime in January and, in the wild, would still be dependent on his mother for nourishment, leaving him vulnerable to predators and susceptible to malnutrition on his own.
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Louis has been treated with antibiotics to address infections resulting from the wounds to his face and flipper. The Animal Rescue team is now working with Louis to master independent swimming and foraging for food, which are skills he will need to survive on his own after his eventual release.
Louis will remain at the Animal Care and Rescue Center until he is cleared for release. He will need to meet several health checks, including reaching a weight of 50 pounds before he is deemed eligible for a return to his ocean home.
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Should you encounter a beached seal, it may not be sick, only resting. Do not touch or approach it and keep a distance of 150 feet. Note your location and time of day and immediately contact the National Aquarium's Stranded Animal Hotline at 410-576-3880.