OCEAN CITY, Md. — Juvenile harp seal Prince who was discovered in a weakened state on Rehoboth Beach in February has made a full recovery and has returned to his ocean home.
Prince, who was named after the legendary pop music icon, was admitted to the National Aquarium Animal Care and Rescue Center in Baltimore for medical care in late February.
He was found exhibiting signs of dehydration, malnutrition, and the sea lice.
While at the rescue center, Prince was treated for lice and received fluid therapy to address the dehydration before addressing the challenge of getting him to a healthy weight.
Through treatment, Prince was able to get back to a healthy 53 pounds.
With Prince's successful rescue, the aquarium is now provided an opportunity to announce their permanent placement of ACRC staff and volunteers on the Atlantic Coast.
Under the direction of Stranding Response & Triage Manager Kate Shaffer, a team of volunteers will have an ongoing presence on Maryland beaches where they will be able to quickly respond and react to seal sightings as well as other sea turtle and marine mammal stranding situations.
“We are so excited to have an official presence here on the Atlantic Coast,” said Shaffer. “This region is critical to our work to care for protected and threatened marine species, and being here full time allows us to be more responsive and efficient when time is of the essence. We are grateful to Mayor Rick Meehan, Public Works Director Hal Adkins and members of the Ocean City government for their support in establishing a work site and welcoming us so warmly, and we look forward to making a difference for animals and our neighbors here in this dynamic community.”
Before releasing him, Prince had a roto-tag placed on his flipper so that Animal Rescue teams can identify him if he ever needs help again.
