Seal pup rescued in Biddeford

BIDDEFORD — A seal pup recently rescued from East Point Sanctuary is receiving care at a rehabilitation center in Massachusetts.

 According to Marine Mammals of Maine, the seal pup was separated from her mother and was thin and dehydrated.

She went to the Marine Mammals of Maine facility in Bath for some stabilizing care and after a few days was taken to National Marine Life Center for the remainder of her rehabilitation.

“She has a very long ways to go, but we are hopeful for a successful return to the wild,” said officials from Marine Mammals of Maine on a Facebook post Sunday evening.

According to Marine Mammals of Maine, the people who found the pup stayed the proper distance away from the young animal and followed protocol.

Seals, like all marine mammals are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. It is illegal to touch, feed, disturb, or harass marine mammals.

Seals that are continually approached by people do not get a chance to rest, and returning an exhausted animal to the ocean can be fatal, according to Marine Mammals of Maine. Continued disturbance of mother and pup pairs can lead to abandonment of the pup.

Marine Mammals of Maine also advise to never pour water over or cover a baby seal or put it back in the water. It is normal for seals to come up on shore to rest and be dry.

Publisher Liz Gotthelf can be reached at newsdesk@sacobaynews.com.