Patient Update

[Lisa Becker]

Hello wonderful volunteers,

I'd like to share with you that we have a new patient. This is a grey seal weanling from Delaware and his name is Eclipse. 

Eclipse is coming to us with multiple wounds and abscesses, pneumonia, dehydration, malnutrition, enteritis, alopecia, and parasites. He is currently housed in Dry Holding.

Eclipse went on a long and carefully planned transport to come to us. He left Delaware very early yesterday morning, stopped in New Jersey at the Marine Mammal Stranding Center for treatments and time outside of the carrier, then went on the second leg of his journey to Massachusetts and arrived late yesterday evening. Helping and supporting network partners is an important aspect of our work within a stranding region. This transport was a massive team effort between multiple stranding/rehab centers and NOAA, that we are very grateful for. 

You might be wondering why a seal that stranded in Delaware is being transferred to Massachusetts for rehabilitation. The answer is simple but also very sad. The southern part of our regional stranding network is in a stranding dilemma. Seals have been stranding in higher than usual numbers in their area at this time of year and have filled up all the rehabilitation center south from Massachusetts to Virginia. The majority of these seals are grey seals but there have also been quite a few harp seal strandings. We have been busy over the last few weeks and days receiving space requests and helping with remote assistance as best we can. 

We will continue with the current Animal Care shift arrangement (abbreviated and alternating shifts). We will not make adjustments at this time due to the low patient numbers in-house.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you for continuous support,

all the best,

Lisa 

Lisa Becker, M.Sc.

Director, Marine Wildlife Rehabilitation
National Marine Life Center
P.O. Box 269, 120 Main Street
Buzzards Bay, MA 02532-0269
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office (508) 743-9888
cell (628) 999-3743
lbe...@nmlc.org

www.nmlc.org

Please note that I may not be able to check emails daily, as I may be in the hospital caring for critical patients in rehabilitation. If you have an urgent matter must reach me immediately, please call my cell phone at 628-999-3743.