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September 24, 2007

A seal, wounded by gunshot, will return to the sea

The adult male harbor seal that was found in Seaside Park, Bridgeport, Conn., with a gunshot wound to its left eye will be released into the ocean from Blue Shutters Town Beach in Charlestown Wednesday morning.

The injury was severe enough that the seal will never use its left eye again. But Mystic Aquarium Institute for Exploration said in a news release today that the seal will be capable of hunting and surviving.

The aquarium in eastern Connecticut, which rehabilitated the seal that was found in western Connecticut, announced today that the release is slated for 9 a.m.

The full-grown seal weighs more than 200 pounds and is 20 to 25 years old, the aquarium says. A reward of more than $3,000 is being offered for information about who may have shot the seal.

“After almost two months of treatment here at Mystic Aquarium by our staff veterinarian Lawrence Dunn and our entire staff, the harbor seal has been given a clean bill of health by the National Marine Fisheries Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) and can now be returned to its natural habitat,” Cindy Davis, stranding assistant at Mystic Aquarium, said in the statement.

“As is the case with any stranded marine animal, our goal is to return it to its natural habitat once it has received proper treatment and care," said Davis.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney

Posted by Mike McKinney  at 3:26 PM | Permalink

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