Spring is here, and that means thoughts of warm weather, the beach, and vacations are in the air! But for the Aquarium’s Marine Animal Rescue Program (MARP), spring is the season for seals. This spring, the National Aquarium has responded to many reports of seal sightings in the region. MARP staff and volunteers are specially trained to assess, monitor, and sometimes collect the animals if they are in need of rehabilitation. Thanks to the dedication of MARP staff and volunteers, two grey seals were admitted for rehabilitation in March.

Stewie
On March 14, a young grey seal pup was picked up in Ocean City, Maryland and transfered to Baltimore for rehabilitation. After being spotted on the beach in northern Ocean City for over 24-hours, responders quickly evaluated his overall body condition and behavior. The animal appeared dehydrated, lethargic, and seemed to be coughing frequently. It quickly became apparent that the seal, later named Stewie, is still quite young. At the time, staff were unsure if he was even old enough to be eating and hunting for food on his own.

Once admitted for rehab and stabilized, staff tried various techniques to encourage his natural food hunting instincts. Those instincts quickly kicked in - Stewie is now eating 7 pounds of fish per day and has gained 12 pounds since being admitted.

In April, Aquarium staff, along with the help of local cardiologist Dr. Steven Rosenthal at Chesapeake Veterinary Cardiology Associates, completed an echocardiogram on Stewie to rule out any possible heart conditions. Stewie continues to heal very well and spends time swimming in his rehab pool.

Guinness
On March 17, the MARP team received a call from stranding officials in North Carolina about another grey seal that was in need of rehabilitation. Their staff had been monitoring the juvenile grey seal for several days, and noted that the animal was emaciated, dehydrated, and had grown increasingly lethargic over two days.

The seal was initially transported to the Virginia Aquarium’s rehabilitation facility for triage and some much-needed fluids. On March 18, the MARP team, in conjunction with the Virginia Aquarium Stranding Program and the MERR Institute in Delaware, transported the animal to Baltimore.

Appropriately named Guinness, as he stranded on St. Patrick’s Day, the seal was immediately provided triage and supportive care. Upon examination by the veterinary staff, it was determined that Guinness was suffering from pneumonia, a moderate jaw fracture, and an upper respiratory infection.

In April, after much consideration and research, Aquarium vets decided that minor surgery to stabilize the seal’s lower jaw was necessary for the fracture to heal properly. The procedure was successful, and Guinness now has a wire holding the left and right sides of his lower jaw together. It will be removed in six to eight weeks, once the jaw has had time to set.

Guinness recovered very well from the procedure, and continues to have a healthy appetite! He has gained 32 pounds since he first entered the rehab program, and enjoys eating ice.

The seals will be in rehabilitation at the Aquarium for the next few months. MARP hopes to be able to release them back into their ocean habitats this summer.

In addition to these two seals, MARP is still caring for eight of the 11 sea turtles that came to the National Aquarium in December from the New England Aquarium. Caring for these animals is very costly. The public can contribute to their care and feeding through online donations or by texting the word ACT to 20222.

For more photos or story needs, please contact Jen Bloomer at 410-576-3860.

Baltimore – March 25, 2010– With just two weeks remaining in the Get-Going Costa Rica Family Adventure Sweepstakes offer, the National Aquarium announces the last chance to enter this exciting sweepstakes that will send on lucky family on an eco-adventure in Costa Rica! Through a partnership with the Costa Rica Tourism Board, the National Aquarium along with the Los Angeles Zoo launched a sweepstakes that will send two lucky families of four on an all-inclusive family eco-adventure to Costa Rica for a seven-day, six night stay this summer.

Washington, DC – February 14 – The National Aquarium is excited to introduce the Fresh Thoughts: Sustainable Seafood Dining Series at its Washington D.C. venue this March. This new series will celebrate sensible and scrumptious seafood choices with the help of renowned Washington DC chefs. The first of the dining experiences will introduce a fish whose taste is distinctive as its story; the invasive Red Lionfish. As part of a growing stategy coined Eat ‘Em to Beat ‘Em, the National Aquarium will embark on a week-long trip to the Bahamas on February 20, 2011 with Chef Xavier Deshayes, Executive Chef for the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, to collect, prepare and ship the fish that will be served just days later at the Aquarium’s first Fresh Thoughts dinner.

Earlier this week, the National Aquarium welcomed Major League Soccer to Baltimore during a special event in the Marine Mammal Amphitheater. The event was a preview to the 2011 Major League Soccer SuperDraft, which is being held at the Baltimore Convention Center January 13 and 14.

Baltimore, January 5, 2010 – Baltimore Ravens fans can celebrate the Ravens playoff victories with a trip to the Aquarium! The National Aquarium is supporting the Baltimore Ravens playoff run with a special $5 discount on Purple Fridays! All fans wearing purple who present the Purple Friday coupon to the ticket center on Purple Fridays will receive $5 off total experience tickets between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. The discount will be valid every Friday in January as long as the Ravens advance to the next round of the playoffs.