A tragic turn of events unfolded as the rescue mission for a baby seal found stranded near Connecticut’s Yale University concluded in heartbreak. The local Mystic Aquarium shared the devastating news on Monday that the seal, affectionately named “Chappy” after the location of his rescue on Chapel Street in New Haven, had passed away due to severe digestive issues.
Despite the valiant efforts of the Mystic Aquarium staff, Chappy, the underweight gray seal pup, could not overcome his medical challenges and succumbed while under the care of the aquarium’s Animal Rescue Clinic. The staff expressed their deep sorrow over the loss, acknowledging the harsh realities of working with stranded animals but taking solace in the fact that Chappy was surrounded by love until the very end.
Chappy was discovered by a concerned passerby on February 16, far from the safety of the nearest river, prompting his rescue and subsequent transfer to the clinic for treatment. Although he initially showed signs of improvement in response to therapy for dehydration, malnutrition, and mild pneumonia, complications arose as he began consuming whole fish, leading to digestive distress.
A postmortem examination revealed that Chappy had been suffering from mesenteric torsion, a complex condition in which his intestines became entangled around the mesentery, resulting in a critical reduction of blood supply to a significant portion of his gastrointestinal tract. Despite the dedicated efforts of the aquarium’s team, Chappy’s gastrointestinal issues proved too severe to overcome, ultimately leading to his untimely demise.
The loss of Chappy serves as a poignant reminder of the challenges inherent in caring for stranded wildlife. Gray seals, like Chappy, are commonly found in the coastal waters of the North Atlantic Ocean, where they feed on a diet consisting of fish, crustaceans, squid, and occasionally seabirds, as noted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
