Officials with the Marine Mammal Stranding Center released five seal pups into the ocean from Sandy Hook. Watch video
SANDY HOOK -- Officials with the Marine Mammal Stranding Center Wednesday afternoon released five seals back into the ocean to make room in its Brigantine-based center.
The center has seen a spike in baby seals that are coming up onto the beaches, MMSC Co-Director Sheila Dean said. The center had 17 seals as of Wednesday and officials were going to check on more after the release, Dean said.
The seals released into the ocean off the coast of Sandy Hook were found in Sea Isle, Holgate, Surf City and Sea Girt. The seals take the two-hour drive from Brigantine, where the Marine Mammal Stranding Center is located, to Sandy Hook because the MMSC team wants to send them off as far north as possible without leaving New Jersey.
Dean said the seals likely came from colonies in Massachusetts and Maine. Three of the seals released in the ocean were gray seal puppies, only a couple months old. Officials also released a harbor seal and a harp seal.
The harbor seal was released from the bayside of Sandy Hook.
The seals come south to feed on smaller fish that are migrating north following the winter. They come up onto the beaches to get out of the cold water and warm up in the sun. Most of the seals taken in by the MMSC are undernourished, but they do come across seals with injuries.
In March, a seal had to be nursed back to health after it was found in Manasquan with shark bites on its stomach.
But the problem, Dean explained, is warm weather also attracts people to the beaches who interfere with the seals.
"They're a little late this year, which is kind of harder for us because of the warm weather, there are more people on the beaches and there's more stress on these animals," Dean said.
She said people should stay at least 50 yards from a seal if they find one, and call the MMSC at 609-266-0538.
The Marine Mammal Stranding Center has been "fairly busy" lately, Dean said. She said the center can hold a couple dozen seals depending on their ages.
"We do this 24 hours a day," Dean said. "People can call us and tell us there's an animal on the beach and we'll get someone out there right away to check on them."
Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.