Gray seal saved from Odiorne Point jetty in Rye would have died, rescuers say

Ian Lenahan, Portsmouth Herald

RYE — Stuck below the rocks of an Odiorne Point jetty, a female gray seal weanling was rescued from certain death Wednesday after being trapped for at least a full day, according to rescuers.

Seacoast Science Center Marine Mammal Rescue saved the seal after a passerby noticed the seal moving in the rocks and called the team’s hotline around 10 a.m. Wednesday, believing he had caught a glimpse of a marine mammal.

Seacoast Science Center Marine Mammal Rescue saved a female gray seal weanling on Wednesday at Odiorne Point State Park in Rye. The seal was stuck in the rocks of a jetty. Rescuers believe she may have been trapped for between 24 and 60 hours and would have died had a caller not spotted her moving in the rocks.
Seacoast Science Center Marine Mammal Rescue saved a female gray seal weanling on Wednesday at Odiorne Point State Park in Rye. The seal was stuck in the rocks of a jetty. Rescuers believe she may have been trapped for between 24 and 60 hours and would have died had a caller not spotted her moving in the rocks.

The caller’s suspicions were correct, as Marine Mammal Rescue staffers who arrived quickly on scene found the seal.

“This little seal is lucky that she was spotted, and that the gentleman knew who to call, as there's no doubt she would have eventually died in that crevice, as the extreme high tides have receded and there was no other way for her to get out,” said Marine Mammal Rescue director Ashley Stokes.

Rescuers suspect the weanling may have gotten trapped as early as the peak high tides and storm surge that occurred in coastal communities between Sunday and Monday. Stokes estimates the seal has been stuck in the jetty for between 24 and 60 hours.

Seacoast Science Center Marine Mammal Rescue saved a female gray seal weanling on Wednesday at Odiorne Point State Park in Rye. The seal was stuck in the rocks of a jetty. Rescuers believe she may have been trapped for between 24 and 60 hours and would have died had a caller not spotted her moving in the rocks.
Seacoast Science Center Marine Mammal Rescue saved a female gray seal weanling on Wednesday at Odiorne Point State Park in Rye. The seal was stuck in the rocks of a jetty. Rescuers believe she may have been trapped for between 24 and 60 hours and would have died had a caller not spotted her moving in the rocks.

The rescue operation, with staffers laying down on the rocks and sticking their arms below, took approximately 30 minutes.

The seal was defensive during the rescue, Stokes noted.

“First, this was a gray seal weanling, a species that is extremely aggressive from day one,” she said. “Unfortunately, these animals don't understand that we are trying to help, so she was in defense mode the entire time. Second, her hind flippers were wedged down in the rocks and the crevice she was in was narrow and deep. This, combined with the aggression, complicated the effort.”

The seal was transported in a crate to the Seacoast Science Center, where it was taken to rest before a medical exam. It was found to be suffering from “significant” dehydration and slight swelling in the hind flipper joints, the latter of which was suspected to be from the extraction and from being in the rocks for so long.

“Our team determined that the best course of action for her was to administer fluid therapy (subcutaneous and oral), along with electrolytes and glucose supplement,” Stokes wrote in an email describing the rescue. “She then received a pink hind flipper tag with a number unique to her and to our organization (not a real-time tracker), so we can quickly identify her if she strands again.”

Seacoast Science Center Marine Mammal Rescue saved a female gray seal weanling on Wednesday at Odiorne Point State Park in Rye. The seal was stuck in the rocks of a jetty. Rescuers believe she may have been trapped for between 24 and 60 hours and would have died had a caller not spotted her moving in the rocks.
Seacoast Science Center Marine Mammal Rescue saved a female gray seal weanling on Wednesday at Odiorne Point State Park in Rye. The seal was stuck in the rocks of a jetty. Rescuers believe she may have been trapped for between 24 and 60 hours and would have died had a caller not spotted her moving in the rocks.

The rescue Wednesday marked Marine Mammal Rescue’s first time conducting a response to a live seal stuck in a jetty.

The federal Marine Mammal Protection Act requires spectators to stay 150 feet away from all seals, wild dolphins and porpoises.

Seacoast Science Center Marine Mammal Rescue saved a female gray seal weanling on Wednesday at Odiorne Point State Park in Rye. The seal was stuck in the rocks of a jetty. Rescuers believe she may have been trapped for between 24 and 60 hours and would have died had a caller not spotted her moving in the rocks.
Seacoast Science Center Marine Mammal Rescue saved a female gray seal weanling on Wednesday at Odiorne Point State Park in Rye. The seal was stuck in the rocks of a jetty. Rescuers believe she may have been trapped for between 24 and 60 hours and would have died had a caller not spotted her moving in the rocks.

All dead and alive marine mammals stranded on the beach should be reported to the Seacoast Science Center Marine Mammal Rescue hotline with information about its location, size, coloring and behavior, according to the team. Call (603) 997-9448.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Gray seal saved from Odiorne Point jetty in Rye NH

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