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The Marine Mammal Stranding Center said a male grey seal pup was first seen resting on a beach in Sea Bright late in the afternoon on Thursday, Jan. 11.
The seal was observed overnight and after staying on the shore through the morning, he was brought to the rehab center in Brigantine on Friday, Jan. 12.
The stranding center said he's believed to be four or five weeks old since he still had white fur from his birthing coat. His eyes were also irritated from sand but appeared to be alert and responsive.
He weighed about 35 pounds and seals his age are expected to weigh about three times as much.
"This pup likely did not learn how to eat very well on his own after being weaned from his mother," the stranding center posted on Facebook. "Grey seals only nurse for about two weeks, and once weaned they are completely independent."
The seal pup was given supportive care in the center's ICU, and after needing some help eating fish, the center said he has learned how to eat them on his own.
"The pups will live off of their fat reserves as they learn to hunt for fish on their own," the center said. "It seems this little one wasn't successfully feeding himself, so he dropped back down to close to birth weight by the time he completed his 400+ mile marathon swim from the pupping grounds in Maine to New Jersey."
The pup is the first grey seal the center has treated in 2024. He has also shed his white birthing coast for darker fur.
The stranding center also said you should not disturb a seal if you see one on a beach. If you find a seal, you should stay at least 150 feet away and you can report it to the center by calling 609-266-0538.
The seal will stay with the nonprofit group until it has gained enough weight to return to the wild.
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