Cranberry the seal gets a ‘second chance’ after amputation. See her swim to freedom

Cranberry the seal faced an uphill battle when she arrived at a Rhode Island aquarium with a severe infection that required a partial amputation.

Five months later, spectators gathered on a beach to watch her swim away.

Mystic Aquarium’s animal rescue team received a call June 30 about a “sick and injured” seal on Block Island, the aquarium said in a Dec. 4 news release.

Rescuers and community members worked to bring the seal in and take her to the aquarium, where her condition was assessed.

“The admit examination revealed a severe wound and bone infection in the hind flipper, several other wounds on the body and a respiratory infection,” the aquarium said.

As a result, Cranberry got a partial amputation of her hind flipper in a “critical surgery,” according to rescuers.

The procedure went well, and Cranberry began the monthslong process of rehabilitating until she was finally ready to be released back into the wild Dec. 6, Mystic Aquarium shared in a Facebook post.

“Volunteers have been working so hard for the past five months to make sure that this animal has been receiving the absolute best care,” a Mystic representative says in the video showing Cranberry’s release. “And so it’s such a great feeling today to be here at the beach to get to give her that second chance of life and send her back to her ocean home.”

Cranberry was released at Blue Shutters beach in Charlestown, Rhode Island.

The video shows Cranberry leaving her crate and beginning to move toward the ocean. She glances back at all the people gathered to see her farewell.

Then she flops into the water and takes off swimming.

“As always a heartwarming experience! Thank you Mystic Aquarium!!” one supporter wrote on Facebook.

Charlestown is about 40 miles southwest of Providence.

This story was originally published December 8, 2023 at 11:55 AM with the headline "Cranberry the seal gets a ‘second chance’ after amputation. See her swim to freedom."