Rescued Seal Pup Dies at Connecticut Aquarium

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Last month, a baby seal found stranded on a street near Yale University in Connecticut tragically passed away due to severe digestive issues, according to a statement released by a local aquarium on Monday.
The Mystic Aquarium, which had taken in the seal they affectionately named “Chappy” after the street where he was discovered, announced his death while he was under recovery at their Animal Rescue Clinic.
“Our staff at Mystic Aquarium worked tirelessly to offer Chappy every possible chance at recovery, and we are heartbroken by his passing,” the aquarium shared in a message on social media. “Handling stranded animals is a challenging task, but Chappy received love and care until the very end.”
The young, underweight gray seal pup was brought to the rescue facility on February 16, following a report made by a concerned passerby to the police, fearing the animal was in distress.
At the time of his discovery, Chappy was approximately 5 to 6 weeks old and was found more than 1,000 feet (approximately 300 meters) from the closest river.
According to the Mystic-based aquarium, Chappy initially responded positively to treatments for dehydration, malnutrition, and mild pneumonia. However, complications arose when he transitioned to a diet of whole fish, leading to digestive challenges.
A subsequent necropsy revealed that Chappy was suffering from “mesenteric torsion,” a serious condition where his intestines had twisted around the mesentery, effectively cutting off blood flow to a substantial portion of his gastrointestinal tract, the aquarium explained.
“Regrettably, despite exhaustive efforts, his gastrointestinal condition was beyond treatment, and he succumbed to his illness,” they stated.
Gray seals, which inhabit coastal waters of the North Atlantic Ocean, primarily feed on a variety of sea life including fish, crustaceans, squid, and sometimes seabirds, as noted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.