The Secrets are Safe with Lou-Seal

Back in March, a most unusual phenomenon occurred- one that would make history in the small island nation of Bermuda. Not an event of epic proportions, but one that would create an international 'sealebrity'.

On March 19th, a Gray Seal beached herself at the East End of Bermuda, amongst the rocks at Tobacco Bay. Not unusual that a creature should wash ashore, or willingly leave the water for a bit of R&R. What garnered the attention of Bermuda- in addition to her imperiled health- was that this breed of seal is native to waters off of New England, Canada and the UK. How on earth did she wind up six hundred miles off the coast of the United States?

Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo (BAMZ) rescued the injured seal, who was suffering from a nasal infection, an upper respiratory Infection and superficial lacerations that she had acquired along her Transatlantic journey. She would make history, as the first Gray Seal on record to be rescued in Bermuda's waters.

Fortunately, Bermuda's Aquarium is led by a veterinarian, Dr. Ian D. Walker, who had direct experience with Gray Seals during an extended tenure working in the United States- both as a Stranding Veterinarian in the Delaware, Maryland and Virginia region, as as an associate Veterinarian for the National Aquarium in Baltimore.

With this said, BAMZ's facility faced a logistical challenge- not having the quarantine space for a marine mammal this size, nor the optimal manpower that would be prudent to simultaneously oversee her care (as a seal with active infection), while also caring for the well seals residing at the Aquarium. This did not thwart their success, however!

Dr. Walker shared that, in order to protect the health of all of the marine mammals under their supervision, BAMZ personnel went home to shower and change their clothing between episodes of care, in order to prevent any spread of germs. An additional challenge would be to provide the newly admitted seal with thirty pounds of Herring per day- a fish not native to Bermuda. 

Thanks to generosity from The Queens Club in Hamilton, an ample supply of fish was made available, with the understanding that the Gray Seal had to gain a good amount of weight before her Passport could be stamped for departure.


During the first days of her recovery, posts on social media from BAMZ reflected "cautious optimism." When I, myself, inquired whether they would give the newly discovered seal a proper name, they implied that it would be prudent to wait. 

As the days passed, the gray seal- who had inadvertently landed in Bermuda much like the historic ship, The Sea Venture- responded to medications and gained weight. The specialized attention from the Bermuda Aquarium stabilized her condition to the extent that she would soon be well enough to return stateside. A naming competition was announced- a sign of Bermudian faith! She was named "Lou-Seal".

As her transfer date from Bermuda neared, many logistics were at hand, including the creation of a customized carrier for her air journey. In good Bermudian fashion, it would be decorated by school children- a charming detail that did not go unnoticed at her destination.

The Royal Gazette reported that organizations across both sides of the Atlantic would need to take part in logistical arrangements, including
U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, Bermuda's Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the U.S. Consulate and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. 

Lou-Seal's destination would be the pre-eminent Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, Connecticut. Although she would be the first adult Gray Seal to be admitted to their Animal Rescue Unit or "ICU", their experts routinely care for Gray seal pups. They were the best fit to take over her care, until she was ready to return to the 'big blue'.

The journey to Mystic, Connecticut would be less arduous and uncertain for Lou-Seal. A Canadian-based company entitled Cargo Jet donated her flight from Bermuda to Newark, New Jersey. From there, The Mystic Aquarium rescue team would drive her to Connecticut. According to her caregivers, Lou-Seal did not need to be transported in water. Instead, she made her journey in an extra large custom seal carrier, perfectly suited to a 200+ pound pet headed to the veterinarian's office. 

Needless to say, I followed Lou Seal daily, like every school child in Bermuda. She struck a chord in my heart, and rattled my curiosity. 

How did she wind up in Bermuda? Did she get caught in a current? Did she realize that she was astray? When the water got shallower, and became demonstrably turquoise, was that an alarm to look for land? What did she eat off the coast of Bermuda? Had she ever seen such reefs? 


Clearly, I share Lou-Seal's attraction to Bermuda. But what, in particular had Bermudians so riveted? Was it the fact that she had defied the odds? Was it the fact that she made aquatic history? Was it the fact that she needed the humanity of Bermuda...and destiny brought her to their shores?

Ironically, countless pods of majestic Humpback Whales make their annual migration North- up past Bermuda to New England in March. Not one of them alerted Lou-Seal that she was headed in the wrong direction. 


When Lou-Seal was well enough to leave Bermuda, she naturally made The Royal Gazette. The headline fondly read, "You Picked a Fine Time to Leave us, Lou-Seal". Echoes of Kenny Rogers were likely heard across the island. Bermuda clearly relished their pivotal role in Lou-Seal's fate, an aspect of the story that is so emblematic of Bermuda. I loved the fact that Patrick Talbot, Curator of BAMZ referred to her as a "first time visitor."

With the knowledge that Lou-Seal would soon be on the East Coast of the U.S, I had a strong desire to meet her. I dropped a note to Dale Wohlbrink, Senior Director of Public Relations at Mystic Aquarium. If Lou-Seal could swim six hundred miles to Bermuda, I could certainly take three ferries over from Long Island to welcome her back from Bermuda!


I read up on Gray seals, and drafted questions. Expecting a glorious sunny crossing, I even purchased sunglasses with Gray seal markings, to honor Lou-Seal. To my dismay, it was a cold, rainy day for my trip to Mystic. I arrived at the aquarium just prior to lunch hour, to the high-pitched sounds of countless giddy, boisterous children on school break. The vibe was lively, despite the gloomy weather. 

I had hoped that I would be able to see Lou-Seal without a barrier present- so that I could witness her up close. Those who know me, also know my love of photography; her whiskers were calling my name. 

In hindsight, this hope was not realistic. Lou-Seal is located in the Animal Rescue Center at Mystic Aquarium, which is an Intensive Care Unit- completely quarantined from the public. I soon learned that seals must be protected from catching Influenza. Thus, Lou- Seal resides in an infection-controlled space with fencing around the periphery. The latter prevents her caregivers from being bitten or scratched. Seals will be seals! 

Needless to say, for the sake of Lou-Seal's welfare, my typical blog selfie would not be a 'sealfie', after all.

Danielle Stone, Mystic Aquarium's Animal Rescue technician, gave me a tour of the ICU through the glass window. The majority of patients in the ICU are seal pups- both gray seals and Harp seals, residing in small enclosures- reminiscent of kennels with pools, as they are nursed back to health. Lou-Seal's tank is much bigger, of course. It enables her to swim, float, and 'beach herself' as she wishes. 

Right now, with Lou-Seal occupying a big tank, the capacity of the ICU is six to eight seal pups, each with individual accommodations. During the summer months, Mystic can care for up to twenty seal pups, when several can share one tank.

I asked Danielle whether she becomes emotionally attached to the creatures in her care, and whether human attention inhibits the seals' capacity to thrive, once they are set free.

She explained that there is a very different protocol for animals kept in captivity vs. those who are going to be freed. For those who will return to the sea, interaction with humans is kept to a minimum. For example, Lou-Seal is not hand-fed, but fed from behind a tarp; they do not want her to associate food with humans. Along the same vein, her pool says "Gray Seal"; her 'sealebrity' status remaining secondary to her optimal preparation for the open ocean. 

The professionals at Mystic Aquarium cannot say how Lou-Seal wound up in Bermuda. Any speculation is merely that.

Danielle surmised that perhaps she was simply "following food." Sometimes,sea mammals will turn around when they reach water temperatures that are not their preferred climate- or they beach themselves. Yet, the veterinarian at Mystic does not believe that the waters around Bermuda were too cold in March. 

According to Allison D. Tuttle, DVM, Vice President of Biological Programs for Mystic Aquarium: "Most species have optimal temperature zones in which their bodies function better in terms of metabolism, immune function, and other factors. If an animal is outside their optimal temperature zone, they may have metabolic issues affecting body condition, be more prone to infection if the immune system was affected, and wounds may heal more slowly."

Dr. Tuttle continued, "Based on the time of year, we aren’t necessarily concerned that she was outside of her optimal temperature zone (i.e. she wasn’t likely too warm).  For her, she was likely lost, and did not feed enough outside her native habitat, which resulted in an extremely thin body condition.  Poor nutritional condition/negative energy balance likely predisposed her to illness and slower wound healing.  Now that she is in rehabilitation and getting medication and food, she is doing very well. She is eating well and gaining weight each week."

  

I asked Dale and Danielle whether it is typical for a sea mammal to "become lost". Dale recounted a story of a Manatee (native to Florida) that somehow managed to wind up in Massachusetts a couple of years ago. Similar to BAMZ lacking for White Herring, Mystic found itself calling all over town for Romaine Lettuce! Rescued and rehabilitated by Mystic Aquarium, the lucky Manatee caught a ride with the U.S. Coast Guard down to Sea World, and was set free soon thereafter.

As of this date, Lou-Seal is still underweight, but on the right trajectory. Having arrived at Mystic Aquarium at 211 pounds, her healthy weight is estimated to be between 300 and 350 pounds. Veterinarians will continue to monitor her weight, and do an ultrasound exam at her next check up to ascertain whether she is carrying a pup. 

Before she is approved for release, her wounds will have healed, her infections will have gone, her appetite will be healthy, and her lab numbers strong. Having already received a 'cow tag', she will also be tagged with a satellite device prior to release. The latter is a stellar move, lest Lou-Seal be tempted to head for Bermuda, again.

Per NOAA specifications, Mystic Aquarium releases its healthy marine mammals in the waters off Connecticut, Rhode Island and Fisher's Island. Some are set free on a private ocean beach- directly from a "kennel" or taken out into the open water. 

Dale assures me that Lou-Seal's release date will be announced to the public, in advance. The crowd that gathers on the beach that day will inevitably have cheers in their hearts and a few tears in their eyes, given the remarkable journey of this seal who swam to Bermuda, and flew home.

As I left the window, at which I had watched Lou-Seal for an extended time- excitedly  sharing her miraculous story with everyone that walked up- I said, "See you on the flip side, Lou-Seal!" 

Science and moxie aside, Lou-Seal definitely has an uncanny mystique about her. It's not because she averts her gaze, hides her face, or plays 'hard to get' for the camera. It lies in her secrets. 

She won't tell, and we'll never know.

With special thanks to Dale Wohlbrink and Danielle Stone at Mystic Aquarium, for indulging my curiosity and graciously hosting my visit to meet Lou Seal.
The journey continues. Follow Lou-Seal's progress via Social Media.
Photography by Daisy Dohanos and Mystic Aquarium.


Since 1975, the Animal Rescue Unit at Mystic Aquarium has responded to calls of stranded marine mammals along a 1,000 mile stretch of the Northeastern U.S. coastline.  Collaborative partnerships with like-minded marine rescue operations, such as Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo, further their ability to save creatures in peril.
To learn more, visit www.mysticaquarium.org.