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The National Aquarium in Baltimore welcomed a new grey seal pup into their care last month. Now they say the pup is starting to find his groove, thanks to his attentive caretakers.
Louis Armstrong was rescued from Assateague Island National Seashore at the end of February. He was found stranded, dehydrated and with wounds to his face and left flipper. Louis also weighed only 35 pounds.
Based on his conditions, the team at the aquarium’s Animal Care and Rescue Center estimated Louis was born sometime in January and had been separated from his mother. This put him at the mercy of predators and caused to become malnourished.
However, since arriving at the center, Louis has been successfully treated with antibiotics and is slowly learning essential skills like independent swimming and finding food. All the while, the team said Louis is making some big waves in his rehabilitation process.
“Louis is a vocal and spirited pup who has no reservations about making noise to let staff know when it's time for a meal,” the center said online. “Since a seal his age would still rely on its mother for nutrition, it is critical that Louis begin to understand how to find and eat fish on his own while in the care of our team.”
The team plans to keep Louis in their care until the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) determines he can be released. For that to happen, Louis will need to weigh at least 50 pounds. Until that happens, the team expects to hear plenty more of Louis’ hangry screeches as they help him reach his weight goal.
Click here to read more about Louis’ story.
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