6 Rehabilitated Gray Seals Released By Mystic Aquarium

MYSTIC, CT — Mystic Aquarium released six gray seals back into the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday following weeks of rehabilitation.

The animals were rescued off Block Island between late March and early April after being found entangled in fishing gear and marine debris. They were treated at Mystic Aquarium’s Animal Rescue Program for up to two months before being cleared for release.

The six seals released were named Bluff, Jetti, Komatsu, Sandy, Surf, and Tillie.

The release took place at Wuskenau Town Beach in Westerly. Rhode Island. Officers from the New Haven Police Department, who originally helped rescue one of the seals, assisted Mystic staff and volunteers in guiding the animals back to the water.

Seal entanglements are on the rise in New England, according to the aquarium. So far in 2025, the aquarium has admitted 24 seals, nearly matching its 2024 total.

Animal care for each rescued seal can exceed $10,000, with the overall program costing about $600,000 annually. That includes the cost of food, medical supplies, salt water for rehabilitation pools, and research tools such as satellite and acoustic tags.

Due to recent funding shortfalls, only two of the six released seals were fitted with satellite tracking tags. These tags provide data on seal behavior, migration, and interactions with human activities. The two tags used Thursday were the last in the aquarium’s current inventory.

Mystic Aquarium’s Animal Rescue Program has been operating since 1975. It covers a 1,000-mile stretch of coastline, responding to marine mammal strandings in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and parts of New York.

Courtesy of Mystic Aquarium and Evan Schultz