‘Feisty’ seal makes strides in recovery from broken bones, illness, Maine rescuers say

Friday the 13th isn’t all bad news.

For one formerly unlucky harbor seal, it was a day of major strides on her path to recovery.

“We just got to move this tiny, feisty harbor seal patient out of a dry holding enclosure where she has spent the last few weeks recovering from exhaustion, pneumonia, broken bones in her flipper, and painful mouth wounds,” Marine Mammals of Maine (MMoME) said in a post on Facebook.

Along with its celebratory words, the organization posted a photo of the little seal upright in a blue kiddie pool and ready to go.

“Today is a LUCKY Friday the 13th for this seal, and for all of us!” the organization wrote. “As of a few minutes ago, she graduated to the big pool – and she’s loving it.”

Harbor seals are one of the most common marine mammal species, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They are commonly seen diving for food or relaxing on rocks along the shore.

Although MMoME did not explain what happened to this young seal, harbor seals face a lot of threats in the wild, including vessel strikes, entanglements and chemical contamination of their waters, according to NOAA Fisheries.

This story was originally published September 13, 2024 at 3:25 PM with the headline "‘Feisty’ seal makes strides in recovery from broken bones, illness, Maine rescuers say."