HARBOR BRANCH - OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Seals Swim South, Fly North. Harbor Branch Oceanographic Rescues, Stabilizes Two Hooded Seals and Receives Critical Help Enabling Return of One Animal to Its Home Range.

PRESS RELEASE
Distributed August 08, 2006
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution

Contact: Mr. Jan Petri
(772) 216-1459 | petri@hboi.edu

FT. PIERCE - Patches and Sandy, two six-month old arctic hooded seals have been rescued and are now being cared for at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, Inc. Of the two, Sandy has recuperated sufficiently to endure the trip by jet to a marine mammal care facility in Brigantine, New Jersey that is equipped to care for these cold water animals. While it is obvious that they strayed far from their home range somewhere between Maine and Labrador, it is just as obvious from the condition they were in when they were found, that these seals are not equipped to tolerate the balmy waters of Florida's Atlantic coast. However, thanks to the skilled and dedicated scientists and staff at Harbor Branch Oceanographic, and with the help of many local donations, today, one of them will be whisked back north aboard a Lear jet, courtesy of a local benefactor.

The Hooded Seal, Cystphora cristata is adventurous by nature, preferring deep water and covering a wider range than harp seals, which tend to stay closer to shore and home. It is rare, but not unprecendented, for arctic hooded seals to range this far south. More information on hooded seals is available at http://www.pinnipeds.org. For Sandy and Patches the adventure ended early in the morning on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Sandy beached herself near Hobe sound, while Patches was first spotted north of the Lake Worth inlet before beaching herself approximately one mile south of the inlet. Harbor Branch's marine mammal stranding team responded to both events using the Harbor Branch marine mammal ambulance to transport these scared, weakened, but still feisty seals back to a lab that had been hurriedly converted into a seal pup holding area.

Harbor Branch marine mammal senior scientist, Greg Bossart, Ph.D. V.M.D., directed the care and assistance to stabilize and treat these animals weakened by the inhospitable environmental factors and stress of swimming so far into sub-tropical waters. He was assisted in this around-the-clock task by Harbor Branch marine mammal care staff and associate veterinarians Dr. David Kilpatrick and Dr.Juli Goldstein, as well as local large animal veterinarian Dr. Valerie A. Gantz-Biehl. Patients like these require constant supervision, which was provided by marine mammal care staff at Harbor Branch. Over the few days Sandy and Patches have spent at Harbor Branch, Sandy has made a remarkable recovery, while Patches remains in guarded condition. At a 6 PM, September 19 briefing to Harbor Branch staff, it was reported that Patches' condition had improved slightly, but not enough to be cleared for transport to New Jersey. Therefore, while Sandy is scheduled to be flown today, Wednesday at 10:30 am from Stuart's Witham Airfield to Atlantic City Airport, NJ. Patches will remain under Harbor Branch's care until her condition improves enough to tolerate transport.

Since the wayward adventures of these two animals were reported by the press, public interest has been overwhelming. Images of these vulnerable and weakened seals have touched many people deeply, resulting in a steady stream of inquiries and donations to assist their care and recovery. For instance, one offer to help came from State Representative, Richard Machek, who generously offered to donate to the care and assistance of these animals from funds left over from his election campaign. While the many donations that have been pledged are crucial to defray the cost of feeding and caring for Sandy and Patches, the most daunting cost would be the transport to New Jersey where they could recover further before being released back into the wild. Harbor Branch is still accepting donations for these animals and for future stranding and animal care events. Contributions can be sent to:

Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, Inc.
5600 US 1 North
Fort Pierce, FL 34946

Because these animals are still frail, the shorter the transport time, the better for their prospects of recovery. Therefore, Mr. Steve McCulloch, Harbor Branch Marine Mammal Program Manager, sought the use of a private jet to get the animals "from water to water" in the shortest time possible. Responding to that call, the Richard L. Schmidt family and the Stuart Jet Center have offered the use of a Lear 5 jet. On Wednesday, September 20, Sandy will make the four-hour trip from Harbor Branch to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center (www.mmsc.org ) in Brigantine, NJ. This shortest-possible transport time is made possible by flying Sandy directly from Witham Airfield in Stuart to Atlantic City, NJ. Upon arrival at the Atlantic City airport, Harbor Branch personnel will turn Sandy over to MMSC Center Director Bob Schoelkopf and his animal care team.

It is planned that following further recovery at the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, Sandy will be transported to Maine where she will be released to resume her existence as a wild, but well-traveled, hooded seal.

For additional information about Patches, contact Mr. Jan Petri at 772-216-1459.
For additional information about Sandy, contact Mr. Bob Schoelkopf at (609) 266-0538

HARBOR BRANCH Oceanographic Institution was founded in Ft. Pierce, Fla., in 1971 to support the exploration and conservation of the world's oceans. The institution has held to this mission and grown into one of the world's leading oceanographic institutions with a 500-acre campus, over 200 personnel, and a fleet of sophisticated research ships and submersibles.