Local News

Baby seal, stuck between rocks in jetty, rescued in New Hampshire

“Our best guess is that during the recent elevated high tides the seal got stuck, and when the water receded she could not climb out!”

March 19, 2024

2 minutes to read

A gray seal pup was rescued last week in New Hampshire after becoming stuck between rocks in a jetty.

A man was walking out on the Frost Point jetty at Odiorne Point State Park on March 13 when he found the stuck baby seal and contacted Seacoast Science Center Marine Mammal Rescue, the agency wrote on Facebook.

“Our best guess is that during the recent elevated high tides the seal got stuck, and when the water receded she could not climb out!” the rescue team wrote. “We quickly discussed a plan and got to work, but after an initial attempt to pull her up using a net and blanket, we learned her flippers were wedged in under the rocks.”

The rescue team, while working to avoid her snapping jaw and teeth, ultimately was able to shift her into a position where they could get a blanket under her body to pull her to safety. The young female seal was taken back to SSC where she was given time to “rest and de-stress,” according to the organization. She was given a flipper tag for identification, blood work, and fluids with electrolytes, then released.

“We will monitor the area over the next few days, in case she comes ashore again; and ask that if you see a seal please remain at least 150 ft away and call our hotline at 603-997-9448 to report,” the group wrote.

The rescue team has been busy in recent weeks.

According to the organization, gray seal pups are born December to February and are only dependent on their mothers for 21 to 28 days, after which they wean and become independent. When extreme high tides occur, it can result in the young seals ending up in “strange” locations in need of some assistance, the group said.

“This time of year, it’s normal for them to be seen on the beach alone and it’s also not uncommon for them to be on the thin side,” the SSC rescue team wrote. “As they figure out navigating life on their own in the #bigblueocean and hunt for their own food, they can tire quickly and come ashore to rest. This is especially true in the wake of high wind and surf conditions… which we have had plenty of, in the last couple of weeks!”