BRIGANTINE, NJ – A grey seal rescued earlier this year by the Marine Mammal Stranding Center has died during surgery meant to save its life.
The animal, identified as Grey Seal #25-049, had been under veterinary care since April 3 after suffering a severe rear flipper injury.
Despite months of treatment and the involvement of multiple veterinary specialists, the seal died under anesthesia Monday during an operation to amputate the damaged flipper.
Key Points
- Grey Seal #25-049 was rescued in April with a serious flipper injury.
- The animal died during surgery to prevent infection from spreading.
- Case will be used as a veterinary teaching tool at Rowan University.
Medical team fought to save the animal
According to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, a team of six veterinarians from several institutions, including the Schreiber School of Veterinary Medicine at Rowan University and the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center, collaborated on the procedure. Diagnostic imaging had shown that the flipper injury, initially thought to be healing, had developed into osteomyelitis, a bone infection that left amputation as the final treatment option.
During the complex operation, the seal went into distress under anesthesia and could not be revived despite extensive efforts from the medical team.
Research continues after loss
The Marine Mammal Stranding Center said a full necropsy will be performed to better understand the cause of death. Surgeons will also continue their work in the laboratory to document the procedure as a teaching case for veterinary students.
Staff at the Brigantine facility expressed deep sadness over the loss, thanking partner institutions and supporters who had followed the animal’s months-long recovery effort. The organization emphasized that while not every rescue ends in success, each case contributes to advancing marine animal medicine and future care practices.
