BIDDEFORD — The last time the University of New England’s Marine Animal Rehabilitation Center was home to a rescued porpoise was in 2004. Now it is in the unusual position of having two, along with a full house of harp seals and sea turtles. The MARC staff, students and volunteers are working with the porpoises and other sea animals to bring them back to health so they can eventually be released into their natural ocean habitat.

Toughy is the older of the two porpoises currently residing in an outdoor pool near the marine center, erected specifically for the porpoises’ rehabilitation.

The marine mammal, that is estimated as being 3 or 4 years old, was the first to arrive at the marine center after being rescued in Pembroke in November 2009 after washing up on a beach there.

The other porpoise, simply know as “No. 12,” is approximately 1 to 2 years old. She was rescued last month after a bad storm when she was found washed up on Goose Rocks Beach in Kennebunkport.

Toughy was rescued by the College of the Atlantic when staff there responded to a call by someone who found the porpoise on the beach on Nov. 6.

Toughy endured a 71⁄2 hour transport before she reached UNE’s marine center, arriving at 1:45 a.m. MARC’s Marine Mammal Rehabilitation Coordinator Keith Matassa

was waiting for her when

she arrived.

The marine mammal had severe pneumonia when she first arrived, said Matassa, and a scar below her left dorsal fin that was suspected to be some type of spinal injury.

After a battery of tests including x-rays, ultrasounds and a CAT scan, it was determined that Toughy has a back curvature, which needs to be corrected before she can be released.

Through her recovery, Toughy has worked with physical therapy students, physical therapists and even acupuncturists, said Matassa. But one of the most important parts of her rehabilitation is being conducted by members of the UNE swim team.

Swim team Co-captain Morgan Lawless, a senior from Syracuse, N.Y., is majoring in marine biology. She said she always wanted to volunteer at MARC but never had the time until this academic year.

She was already volunteering when Toughy was brought in, and when Matassa asked if she wanted to work in the pool with the porpoise, Lawless jumped at the chance.

Lawless then asked members of the swim team if they wanted to help out; half of the 21-member team volunteered.

With team members taking turns, Toughy gets swimming therapy twice a day.

While porpoises tend to swim clockwise, Lawless and the other swim team members try to get Toughy to swim counterclockwise to balance the mammal’s frame by tightening the left side and loosening the right side.

“Sometimes it’s kind of challenging because she doesn’t want to move in the right direction,” said Lawless. “You have to be forceful.”

Working with the swim team members has been very helpful, said Matassa. “Toughy swims and dives more after the swim team is with her.”

No. 12 was in better shape when she was rescued, although she was thin and also needs attention to make sure she swims in a counterclockwise circle. In addition, she has an issue with her liver, but the seriousness of the condition is unclear.

Although in the wild porpoises tend to be solitary, when No. 12 arrived, Matassa decided to put the porpoises together.

“I thought the companionship would motivate Toughy to swim more,” said Matassa, which has happened.

“She’s so much better,” said Lawless about Toughy. When the porpoise first arrived she used to just bob at the surface of the water, said Lawless, “Now she dives on her own and swims on her own.”

Matassa and his staff and volunteers are very dedicated to the rehabilitation of their charges. However, their space and financial resources are stretched almost to the breaking point.

In addition to the two porpoises, MARC has 13 sea turtles and seven harp seals in its various tanks and pools.

It’s unclear why, but more marine animals are being stranded than ever, said Matassa, not only in Maine,

but along much of the eastern coast line.

Harp seals are currently being found as far south as the coast of Virginia. The last time harp seals were found that far south was in 2003, he said.

Not only is space tight at MARC, but “our budget is hurting like everybody else’s,” said Matassa.

The porpoises are especially costly. While the total rehabilitation for a seal costs about $1,000, it will cost at least 10 to 15 times that amount to rehabilitate each of the porpoises, he said.

The marine center’s work is funded by the university, grants and donations from individuals and organizations.

In addition to rescuing and rehabilitating stranded marine animals, as part of the National Marine Fisheries Service network of centers, MARC also develops rehabilitation methods and researches marine mammal mortality and the marine environment.

— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 324 or dmendros@journaltribune.com.