Injured seal pup found entangled in a fishing net on a NJ beach

🐟 An injured seal was found on a NJ beach

🐟 He had part of a fishing net wrapped around his neck

🐟 The pup is recovering at the Marine Mammal Stranding Center

LONG BRANCH — The Marine Mammal Stranding Center has a new patient—a severely injured seal pup found on the beach in Long Branch.

Stranding Center staffers received an urgent call on April 12 about an entangled baby seal on the beach in front of Ocean View Towers.

The male grey seal pup was severely injured due to a section of monofilament net wrapped around his neck.

A volunteer was sent to the scene to watch over the seal in the heavy wind and rain, ensuring no one spooked the seal back into the water before the trained medical staff from MMSC could arrive.

Once on the scene, the stranding technician, with the help of the volunteer and other Good Samaritans, could carry the seal off the beach to a waiting vehicle.

Upon inspecting the injury, medical staffers discovered that the monofilament net, likely a gill net, had been on the seal’s neck for quite some time, having become embedded one inch deep into the animal’s blubber and flesh.

A gill net is a type of fishing net that is hung vertically so fish get trapped in it by their gills.

Also entangled in the net was a dead spiny dogfish (a small shark). Several puncture wounds were found near the seal’s abdomen.

The seal was rushed to the MMSC, where the line was removed, the wounds were cleaned and treated, and medication was started to prevent infection and keep the little guy comfortable as he heals.

Currently, the almost 68-pound seal pup is resting comfortably in Tub 8 of the Quonset Hut, staffers said, and is being assisted-fed. He remains in guarded condition.

This is the third entangled seal rescued by the MMSC in less than a month, and the second seal found in what appears to be sections of gill net.

The Stranding Center is currently caring for a dozen seals at its hospital.

Donations are essential to continue this life-saving work. Any amount helps. The center is in dire need of silver honey wound spray which is used to treat open wounds on seals, gauze sponges, large nitrile gloves, and so much more.

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