Mystic Aquarium today released six gray seals back into their natural habitat along the Atlantic Ocean, allowing the animals to return to the water at Wuskenau Town Beach in Westerly, Rhode Island. Rescued on Block Island between late March and early April after being found entangled in fishing gear and marine debris, the seals received individualized treatment from animal care professionals at the aquarium’s Animal Rescue Program for six to eight weeks.
Led by Mystic Aquarium staff with support from Block Island Maritime Institute and volunteers, officers from the New Haven Police Department, who originally rescued Chappy the seal, were invited to open the kennels and guide the seals as they “galumphed” back to the ocean, a nod to the seals’ distinctive, undulating land movement.
Just as seal populations in New England have surged, especially at Block Island, Mystic Aquarium has observed a similarly sharp rise in entanglements. To date in 2025, Mystic’s Animal Rescue Program has rescued and rehabilitated 24 seals, a number that is likely to surpass the 25 total seal admissions in 2024 in the near future.
The responsive care these animals receive is made possible by a dedicated team at Mystic Aquarium’s Animal Rescue Program, an operation that costs $600,000 annually. Treating each animal averages upwards of $10,000, covering expenses such as supplies, medications, salt water for rehab pools, water testing, food, transportation, and other essentials for the animals’ care. On top of that, research costs include satellite tags at $5,000 each and acoustic tags at $400 each.
“Releasing these six seals back into their natural habitat in the Atlantic Ocean following nearly two months of rehabilitation is a true testament to Mystic Aquarium’s care and compassion for these animals,” said Sarah Callan, Animal Rescue Program Manager at Mystic Aquarium. “As entanglement cases continue to increase in line with upticks in seal populations, our team cherishes the opportunity to help these animals and strengthen marine ecosystems up and down the East Coast. Our work to rescue and rehabilitate these animals could not be possible without the Block Island Maritime Institute and support of other partners who share a similar mission of better protecting our marine life.”
Due to recent funding cuts, only two of the seals released Thursday were fitted with satellite tags—essential tools for Mystic Aquarium’s research on climate-driven movement, predator-prey dynamics, and the impact of human activity. These tags mark the last two in the aquarium’s inventory, highlighting the urgent need for donations to continue this vital work.
Since 1975, Mystic Aquarium’s Animal Rescue Program has been rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing sick, injured and stranded marine animals along 1,000 miles of the Northeastern coastline throughout Connecticut, Rhode Island and Fishers Island, New York.
