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The Marine Mammal Stranding Center (MMSC) said the grey seal died on Monday, Feb. 19. The male pup received treatment for parasites and a possible respiratory infection from the Brigantine center's veterinarian.
MMSC said the seal's death was surprising since his health had begun to improve.
"We were hopeful when the pup began showing more interest in food last week, even starting to eat smaller fish on his own in recent days," MMSC said in a Facebook post. "However, on the evening of February 19th, the pup showed a very sudden and rapid decline, and despite the extraordinary efforts by our staff to resuscitate him, the pup passed away only a few minutes later.
"A full necropsy will be performed to provide insight on what may have caused him to go down so quickly."
MMSC first received a call about the pup at around 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 7. After coming ashore, it was spotted on West Avenue between 42nd and 43rd streets.
The roughly one-month-old seal then went through a backyard and along a sidewalk before moving into the middle of 42nd Street. Witnesses told MMSC that "he had a close call with a car" on 42nd.
An Ocean City police officer blocked traffic as the pup continued down the road and crossed several intersections. The seal crawled more than a quarter-mile toward the ocean in about 20 minutes.
MMSC's stranding coordinator safely captured the pup about 100 yards from a beach ramp.
"We have had many cases over the past 46 years of seals, especially grey seals, taking a wrong turn and wandering up beach access paths to backyards, parking lots, and roadways," MMSC said in a Facebook post on Thursday, Feb. 8. "Typically, we see at least one case of a wayward pup stranding in an unusual location every seal season. These pups are born on islands, so when they get lost, their instinct is to keep wandering until they find a body of water."
MMSC has rescued about a dozen seals this season. A female grey seal pup tangled in plastic water bottle packaging was rescued in Beach Haven on Thursday, Feb. 15. On the same day, a male grey seal pup was found on the north end of Brigantine Beach.
A female grey seal was rescued after it was stranded on the beach in Sea Isle City on Wednesday, Feb. 14. Another male grey seal was saved from Island Beach State Park in Seaside Park on Friday, Feb. 9.
The rehab center also rescued a malnourished baby grey seal from a beach in Sea Bright on Friday, Jan. 12. The pup was released back into the water at the North Brigantine Natural Area, according to a Facebook video posted by MMSC on Tuesday, Feb. 20.
A male harbor seal was also rescued from a beach in Surf City on Monday, Dec. 25. The Christmas morning rescue was released into the water on Thursday, Feb. 8.
The stranding center also said you should not disturb a seal. You're asked to stay at least 150 feet away if you see one on land.
If you find a seal, you can report it to MMSC by calling 609-266-0538.
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