Latest news with #ClaireMadden
Miami Herald
04-08-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
Young seal was found with ‘severe' shark bite wound. Then rescuers rushed to help
After surviving a shark attack and drifting into unfamiliar waters, a young seal's life hung on by a thread — until rescuers rushed to help. The animal, a New Zealand fur seal, was discovered in the canals of Newport, Australia, located about 20 miles north of Brisbane, according to a July 31 news release from the Sea World Foundation. She had sustained 'a severe shark bite wound' on her abdomen and was outside the normal range of her species. Sea World staffers collected the wounded creature and took her to a rehabilitation facility. She 'was really touch and go there at the beginning,' Claire Madden, the organization's head veterinarian, said in a video. But, after six weeks, her condition improved remarkably. 'She ticked all the boxes for our release, and that included adequate body condition, appropriate movement and her wound was completely resolved,' Madden said. On July 29, the healed seal was transported to the Solitary Islands, part of a marine park about 240 miles south of Brisbane. Video footage shows her exiting a submerged crate and swimming away into the deep ocean. 'It made me very, very happy to see her go back out there and carry on her little adventure,' Jesse Bray, a marine mammal specialist at the Sea World Foundation, said in the video. 'It's a really special moment.' Before her release, she was equipped with a satellite tag, allowing researchers to monitor her journey. So far, she's already traveled about 50 miles south to Scotts Head. New Zealand fur seals are distinguished by their pointy noses, long whiskers and relatively small size, according to the New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC). The marine mammals — which can grow up to 8 feet and weigh up to 330 pounds — are typically found along the rocky coast of New Zealand. They are also seen in South Australia and Western Australia. Their population in New Zealand once numbered in the millions, according to the DOC, but they nearly went extinct as a result of Māori and European hunters. Nowadays, their numbers are rebounding, following protections passed in the 1970s. They still face threats from human impacts, in addition to great white and sevengill sharks, their primary natural predators.
7NEWS
31-07-2025
- Health
- 7NEWS
Young seal rescued from Newport canal after shark bite
A young New Zealand fur seal has made a triumphant return to the wild just six weeks after surviving a severe shark bite. The juvenile female was discovered in distress in the canals of Newport, north of Brisbane — well beyond her natural range along the NSW coast — in June and rescued by Sea World Foundation. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Seal saved after shark bite. She was suffering from a significant shark-inflicted wound to her left abdomen and was severely underweight. Sea World head veterinarian Dr Claire Madden described the case as 'touch and go' at first. 'She had a very significant wound on the left side of her body,' Madden explained. 'She was really lean for the length of her body and just wasn't as bright as you would have expected a wild seal to have been.' At first, her rescuers were not sure if she could ever be released back into the wild. But with urgent fluid therapy, wound care, and nutrition, the seal slowly regained strength. 'Not too long into her rehab did she start eating for herself ... she ticked all the boxes for release,' Madden said. After weeks of tailored rehabilitation at Sea World, the young seal was released this week at the Solitary Islands off Coffs Harbour. She is now fitted with a satellite tracker to monitor her journey as part of a wider NSW government biodiversity initiative. 'Upon rescue we were unsure of the outcome for this seal as the shark bite was significant, but she responded extremely well to her veterinary care, nutrition and rehabilitation and it was wonderful to be able to return her back to the ocean,' Sea World Foundation curator of operations and animal welfare Mitchell Leroy said. 'It was fabulous to see the animal straight back into the water and straight back into all its normal natural behaviours. 'She started grooming, face scrubbing, just twirling in the water ... swimming away.' The seal, estimated to be about 12 months to 18 months old, was released at the northernmost range of her species. She now forms part of the NSW Seabirds to Seascapes — Protecting Coastal Biodiversity project, which will track her movements and provide valuable data on the species' behaviour and health. 'This was a fantastic case for the veterinary team, fantastic case for the rehab team,' Madden said. 'We all learnt a lot from having her in our care.' Madden added the satellite tagging would contribute 'critical insights for the future conservation of the species'. For marine mammal specialist Jesse Bray, the release was a heartfelt moment. 'That was so special… to see her swim off today has just been so special, can't even describe it,' Bray said. Satellite data shows the seal has swum south to Scotts Head, seemingly well on her way to rejoining her natural range of habitat.
