Brigantine, NJ – The Marine Mammal Stranding Center (MMSC) announced that the 2024 Seal Season was the fifth busiest in its 46-year history. The season began with the first patient admitted on Christmas Day and concluded on Sunday with the release of the final rehabilitated seal after an eight-month span.
New Jersey saw a significant arrival of recently weaned Grey seal pups during February and March, which accounted for most of the admissions for the season. Additionally, juvenile and adult Grey, Harbor, and Harp seals utilized New Jersey beaches as rest stops while traveling along the East Coast. The MMSC Stranding Staff and certified volunteers were active in monitoring the resting seals, many of which were healthy but needed a safe place to rest.
During the season, 43 healthy seals were relocated from crowded beaches frequented by humans or dogs. There were also four cases of seals entangled in marine debris, such as lines, a gill net, and plastic overwrap from a case of water. All four seals survived their injuries and were released back into the wild.
With the season over, the MMSC team is now focusing on hospital
