BERLIN, Md - Eloise the seal is now back in her natural home after being nursed back to health by marine care experts at the MERR Institute and National Aquarium.
It was Valentines Day weekend, when a beach-goer stumbled upon the stranded seal in the Fort Miles area of Cape Henlopen State Park. She was just three weeks old then - much to young to be without her mother according to representatives from MERR. Now, her caregivers say she's stronger than ever and ready to return to the water.
Eloise spent 42 days in rehabilitation at the National Aquarium's Animal Care and Rescue center. Staff there say she had a tremendous turnaround that exceeded recovery expectations. According to the Health and Rescue team, the seal pup gained quite the appetite - eating up to 10 lbs of herring per day leading up to her release.
Eloise was released back into the water at Assateague State Park on Wednesday.
