Shark attacks baby seal, leaving wounds the size of ‘dinner plate,’ NJ rescuers say

A baby seal was rescued after being attacked by a shark off the coast of New Jersey, officials said.

On Feb. 10, rescuers got reports of a “very thin” male gray seal pup lying on a beach in Longport with lacerations on his abdomen that resembled a “dinner plate,” according to a Facebook post by the Marine Mammal Stranding Center.

He also had small puncture wounds on his mouth, officials said.

He was rushed to the center for medical attention, where personnel cleaned his wounds and gave him nutrients through a feeding tube filled with formula and electrolytes, rescuers said.

During his examination, it was determined the wounds were likely from a shark attack, officials said.

The staff applied topical medication and gave the pup oral treatment to prevent any infection while helping him get comfortable while he recovers, officials said.

Gray seals can dive up to 1,560 feet for as long as an hour and usually eat 4% to 6% of their weight in food every day, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

They can live between 25 and 35 years, with newborns weighing in at 35 pounds before they nurse, causing them to gain about three pounds per day, the NOAA said.

The center was glad to announce the pup is currently “showing interest in his food and is starting to eat on his own” while “resting comfortably.”

Longport is about a 100-mile drive southeast of Trenton.

This story was originally published February 13, 2025 at 1:18 PM with the headline "Shark attacks baby seal, leaving wounds the size of ‘dinner plate,’ NJ rescuers say."