Marine Mammal Stranding Center

07/15/2025

Grey seal #25-071 (Sea Girt) just floating through your timeline...

07/14/2025

Live Patient Update 🦭Check in with our five Grey seals and see how they are progressing through their rehabilitation journey!

07/14/2025

Good morning from the pool☀
The boys are hoping your Monday goes swimmingly! 🦭

07/12/2025

Don't miss the boat for our most festive event of the year! 🎄Ticket sales close on 7/23 at noon, so book today!

Come aboard Atlantic City Cruises to enjoy a relaxing sunset cruise in the back bay of Atlantic City to benefit the Marine Mammal Stranding Center's life-saving efforts with marine mammals and sea turtles!

07/11/2025

Thank you to Megan for dropping off a donation to MMSC from the earnings of her lemonade stand in Brigantine! You have our SEAL of approval!!! 🍋🦭🍋

07/11/2025

Patient Update 🩺
Grey seal #25-035 (Port Monmouth) and #25-049 (Brigantine) have both been undergoing medical treatment for flipper injuries since stranding this spring. While some of the initial inflammation improved with medical treatment, their injuries were not healing as quickly as we like to see. MMSC’s veterinarian Dr. Paluch reached out to the Schreiber School of Veterinary Medicine at Rowan University to request assistance with additional diagnostic testing to further guide the treatment plans for these two patients.
Last month Dr. Elizabeth Perry from Rowan University’s Large Animal Field Service, along with her assistant Hannah, traveled to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center with their portable digital radiograph (x-ray) equipment. The seals were gently restrained by our Stranding Coordinator while Dr. Perry and Dr. Paluch took several views of the seal’s hind flippers. The images were able to be viewed immediately by the veterinarians, and were also later reviewed by a board-certified radiologist.
Fortunately for Grey seal #25-035 (Port Monmouth), the radiographs confirmed that there are no underlying fractures of the flipper bones, and no evidence of osteomyelitis (bone infection). Based on these findings, the original course of treatment was continued. Since this examination, his injury has made significant progress. Dr. Paluch is planning to perform a pre-release examination on this patient early next week.
In the case of Grey seal #25-049 (Brigantine), the radiographs showed a possible crush injury to his left rear flipper, and evidence of the bones beginning to heal. Fortunately, there was no evidence of osteomyelitis at the time of the radiographs. Additional sensitivity cultures of the wound were taken, and based on the results, Dr. Paluch ordered a change in antibiotics. Anti-inflammatory medication and daily wound flushes have also continued. Follow up radiographs will be necessary in the upcoming weeks to further monitor the progress of his injuries, and to monitor for chronic infection.
Thank you to the Schreiber School of Veterinary Medicine at Rowan University Large Animal Field Service for your continued support and assistance with our patients!

07/10/2025

POV: You are the nosey neighbor in the neighborhood Facebook group.
Grey seal #25-035 (Port Monmouth) is always keeping an 👀on things from Pen D.

07/09/2025

Please help nominate the Marine Mammal Stranding Center as the Best Nonprofit Charitable Organization for Best of the Press 2025! 🏆It's easy to do, just open the link, scroll down to the "Services" category, select Best Nonprofit Charitable Organization and select Marine Mammal Stranding Center (or type in our name if it doesn't appear). Voting ends on July 30th! Thank you for your support!
https://pressofatlanticcity.com/exclusive/readerschoice/ballot-2025/

07/09/2025

Lots of smiles on MMSC's Family Explorer Cruise aboard Atlantic City Cruises today! 😎 Thank you to all of the families that joined our Education Team for a morning of dockside educational activities and donuts. We were even treated to dolphin smiles courtesy of a large pod of Bottlenose dolphins!🐬 We still have tickets available for your family to join in on the fun on our last program of the summer on Tuesday August 12th! https://www.classy.org/event/family-explorer-cruise-august-12-2025/e657355
Special thanks to Captain Jeff and the crew of Cruisin' 1 for a trip that was WAVES of fun, and Green Whales, Inc. for being our donut sponsor!

07/08/2025

'WOW! Did you see how many Amazon packages were delivered last week!?!?"
We are sending our Seal of Approval 🦭🏆to Joanne, Cynthia, Janice, Stephen, Jennifer, Sandy, Amy, John, MK, Melissa, Sky, Maura, and Lori for donating much-needed items from our Amazon Wish List last week! Thank you for keeping our hospital well-stocked and running smoothly for our patients.❤️

07/07/2025

Why do newborn dolphins have stripes?
Baby dolphins are born with creases called fetal folds on their skin. Fetal folds occur because of the way the unborn calf is compactly positioned inside the womb before birth. As a newborn, these folds are very distinct and easy to spot on the youngster. Over time, the fetal folds gradually fade. Check out this amazing shot of a newborn Bottlenose dolphin calf with very distinct fetal folds, captured by MMSC volunteer Elyse during her internship with Cape May Whale Watch and Research Center 🐬

07/04/2025

Wishing you a safe and happy Independence Day! Enjoy and please watch out for our marine wildlife while you are at the beach or on the water today. If you spot a marine mammal or sea turtle in distress, please call the Marine Mammal Stranding Center's 24-hour Stranding Hotline at 609-266-0538. Thank you!
📷photo credit-Matt Gregg