Niantic Center School Students Raise Money For Injured Harbor Seal

This morning, Niantic Center School students presented Mystic Aquarium's veterinarian and animal rescue team with a big check. 

The second graders raised more than $500 for the care of Coral, a rescued harbor seal at Mystic Aquarium that had one of her rear flippers amputated due to a life-threatening infection. 

Originally known as Pup 49 because of her rehabilitation number, Coral was admitted to Mystic Aquarium’s Seal Rescue Clinic on July 16, 2012, after being rescued in Plymouth, Mass., by New England Aquarium 10 days earlier.

Aquarium volunteers who cared for Pup 49 during her rehabilitation selected five names, all names of harbors, for public voting—Coral, Grace, Hope, Madison and Mystic—and Coral came out on top.

Coral was suffering from respiratory ailment and a swollen flipper when she came to Mystic. Despite intensive treatment for her flipper, she developed a life-threatening infection in her bone and ankle joint that continued to get worse with time.

On November 26, 2012, Mystic Aquarium’s veterinary team performed surgery to amputate Coral’s infected flipper. The surgery was successful and she has recovered beautifully, but she was deemed non-releasable by NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service because she is a weaker, less agile swimmer and requires more effort to haul out of the water compared to seals with two rear flippers. NOAA has since granted Mystic Aquarium permission to permanently care for her.

Thousands of guests have enjoyed seeing Coral and learning her story at Mystic Aquarium’s Aquatic Animal Study Center, where she has a special ramp that helps her exit the water with ease. On April 28, the nine-month-old pup was moved off display for training. Aquarium visitors can expect to see Coral again this fall.

From press releases from Mystic Aquarium.