Baby seal found in Riverhead traffic circle released into the wild

The grey seal that was recently named Peconic made its way to a Riverhead traffic circle on Sunday and was released back into the wild Friday.

News 12 Staff

Apr 8, 2022, 11:35 AM

Updated 968 days ago

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The seal found in a traffic circle on the East End is back where he belongs.
The grey seal that was recently named Peconic made its way to a Riverhead traffic circle on Sunday and was released back into the wild Friday.
The animal escaped out of the Peconic River on a fish ladder before being caught and taken to the New York Marine Rescue Center.
Peconic spent a week at the New York Marine Rescue Center recovering.
The 3-month-old seal had to be coaxed into a special holding pen, placed on a truck and then transported to the beach nearby.
Peconic eventually made his way to the sand and down to the water's edge before jumping in.
Maxine Montello, of the New York Marine Rescue Center, says they get "super attached" to the animals in their care.
Still, she knows that it's critical to their survival to get them back to their natural habitat.
"This is the best of the job, is to get them back to home, to the ocean," Montello says. "That's our goal."
NY Marine Rescue Center:
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