Featured Image Credit: TK/National Aquarium
Luna Lovegood, named after a Harry Potter character, was found stranded in Ocean City, Maryland in late May 2017, suffering from pneumonia and lacerations due to potential bite wounds, according to the National Aquarium. But after a few months of intensive care and rehabilitation, Luna Lovegood has headed home!
On May 23, she was admitted to the National Aquarium’s animal care center and was treated for dehydrations and a case of lungworms. Aquarium staff was extremely worried about Luna Lovegood, because lungworms are a parasite that can infect the lungs of vertebrates.
She was put on antibiotic therapy and a special diet including fish gruel which was fed to her through tubes until she was able to eat on her own. During her treatment, Luna put on a whopping 20 pounds! It was a long road to recovery for her, but earlier this month, the NOAA gave the clearance for her release.
Luna was recently released back into the wild at Sandy Hook, making her the second pinniped to be released by National Aquarium at Sandy Hook this year. Phil the seal was found in April this year in a Delaware swamp suffering from an eye infection and dehydration.
“The best place for our rescue animals is in their natural environments, so we seized the opportunity to release Luna back to her ocean home,” the NOAA said in a statement regarding the seal’s release on Sept. 7.