A young seal is recovering after likely being attacked by a shark off the Jersey Shore, then was rescued on the beach by a local group.
The Marine Mammal Stranding Center (MMSC) said in a Facebook post Wednesday that a badly injured seal was spotted laying on the beach in Surf City in Long Beach Island on Christmas. The harbor seal was found with gashes on his left hip, plus smaller wounds to his abdomen and around his tail.
The MMSC said the seal appeared to be a yearling, probably born last spring. It was taken to the group's facility in Brigantine, where staff gave the seal fluids and flushed out its wounds, using medication to prevent any infections.
During the veterinarian's examination, the doctor determined that the likely cause of the injuries was a shark bite, the group said.
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The seal, which arrived at the center weighing just over 57 pounds, was being kept in the MMSC's intensive care unit before it will be released back into the wild once it recovers.
The group is asking for donations to help its life-saving work with marine mammals and sea turtles.
