UNE seal pup release garners media coverage

The Jounal Trubune, MPBN and WGME on July 23, 2010 reported on the UNE Marine Animal Rehabilitation Center (MARC) seal pup release.  This harbor seal pup release was MARC's first of the summer season.  All of the three released harbor seal pups were neonatal, only one to two days old, when they were brought to MARC.

The care for the seal pups was especially expensive. Keith Matassa, MARC's Coordinator, decided to reach out to the vendors with which the center does business. Oakhurst Dairy responded positively.  The company donated approximately 10 cases each of cream and cottage cheese, with the estimated value of these products to the rehabilitatiion center being $3,000.

Matassa credits the healthy, hormone-free Oakhurst Dairy products with helping to bring the pups up to a healthy weight.  "It's a great product," he said, and added, "the dontion has helped out so much."  Matassa said the dairy products are an important part of the food mix, which includes a variety of healthy oils and vitamins, fed to the pups that closely replicates the natural milk of the mother seal.

In addition to the staff and volunteers of MARC and representatives from Oakhurst, there were approximately 100 people attending the seal pup release.  "There are more and more people here supporting us, which is nice," says Matassa.

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.