SEA LIFE Hunstanton has released five adorable seal pups back into the wild following a successful rehabilitation programme in the attraction’s revamped seal pup recovery pool, which opened earlier this year.
SEA LIFE Hunstanton is home to a dedicated seal rescue centre and hospital, having rescued and rehabilitated over 750 seals since opening in 1989.
Over recent years, the number of seals needing the help of SEA LIFE Hunstanton has increased year on year, to the point where the facilities needed to be improved to cope with the large numbers.
After completing intensive care in the seal hospital, the pups are moved outdoors to the specialised pup recovery pool, where they regain muscle strength, body fat, and learn to swim and dive, so they can look after themselves in the wild.
The centre’s five latest success stories have all been named after types of cheese: Wensleydale, Applewood, Blue, Camembert and Brie.
Wensleydale (below) was rescued back in May after being abandoned by her mother at Brancaster Beach. Due to a fluffy layer of fur, which is normally shed before birth, rescuers were able to tell she was premature and was no more than 48 hours old at the time of rescue. During her time in rehab, Wensleydale has gone from strength to strength and is now one of the attraction‘s largest seals; she’s also struck up an endearing relationship with Assistant Curator, Sophie.
Applewood (below) was rescued on 9th June and became the second seal of the season to be rescued. She was discovered with her umbilicus, leading the team to believe she must have only been a few days old. She is one of the quieter seals at the attraction, but has bonded very well with the other seal pups and enjoys playing with her fellow flippered friends.
Blue (below) was the first and only boy to be rescued this season. Rescued by SEA LIFE Aquarist Katie and Assistant Curator Sophie on Hunstanton beach, he was also premature and very small. Despite his low chance of survival, Blue has come on leaps and bounds, learning to feed for himself with ease and he has grown up to be ready for the open waters once again.
Camembert (below) was rescued on Snettisham Beach after SEA LIFE received calls reporting a hot and sluggish seal pup. Camembert was extremely dehydrated upon rescue and the team believed she had been looking for her mother for quite some time. Dubbed the ‘prettiest’ of those rescued, Camembert has a quiet personality but still makes sure her voice is heard with the Animal Care Team.
The most recent of the seals to be rescued, Brie (below) was found on Holme Beach on 30th July. After a veterinary assessment, it was established Brie had an infection in her mouth, which can often lead to fatality. Luckily, Brie was found just in time and thanks to the care of the rehabilitation team and the correct medication, she has beaten the infection and is ready to join the rest of the group back in the wild.
Nigel Croasdale, General Manager at SEA LIFE Hunstanton said: “We are so proud of the work carried out by our Animal Care Team here at SEA LIFE Hunstanton. The team are dedicated to helping injured and vulnerable animals, and we’re so happy with the recent work done to help rehabilitate these seal pups.
“While we’re sad to see our new friends go, we’re so excited for them to be back in open waters and we can’t wait to see what they get up to. We tag all seals we look after, so we can monitor their integration back into the sea; some we’ve treated in the past have even been spotted on French and German coasts.
“Thanks to our new investment into the Seal Rescue Centre and Hospital, we have the resource to help and rehabilitate many injured and abandoned seal pups, so we can nurse them back to full health and release them back into the wild.”
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