Latest news with #sealrescue
The Independent
2 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Seal pup rescued after being found motionless on Brighton beach
A seal pup seen lying motionless on Brighton beach is now recovering after being rescued by the RSPCA. The harbour seal, named Fern by its rescuers, was found on the beach on 7 August and did not respond even as children approached. Jess O'Doherty, wildlife supervisor at RSPCA Mallydams, said: 'He didn't even flinch when approached. This kind of behaviour is very concerning in seals and signals serious exhaustion or illness.' The young animal was picked up by medics from British Divers Marine Life Rescue and taken to the rescue centre near Hastings. 'He's now in safe hands with our expert team, and we're doing everything we can to give him the second chance he deserves,' added Ms O'Doherty. Staff at the centre said Fern was severely underweight and looked 'very downcast' when he arrived at around 9pm, though he soon perked up after regular feeding. He also responded well to antibiotics for a bite wound. An RSPCA spokesperson said Fern might have been separated from her mother because of an attack from another seal or dog, indicated by a deep puncture wound on her flipper. The animal charity has urged the public not to approach resting seals and keep dogs on a lead. 'We want to remind the public that it's crucial to keep your distance from all seals resting on the beach. Even healthy seals need space to rest undisturbed,' said Ms O'Doherty. 'It's also dangerous for people or dogs to get too close to them as seals are strong and powerful and can give a painful - and potentially infectious - bite if they are disturbed or feel threatened.' The RSPCA said it is natural for seals to come out of the water to rest, mate and feed babies, or if they are unwell. A spokesperson said: 'We know people are very fond of seals, and many well-intentioned people may want to encourage them back into water if they see them on land - but it's really important not to do this.' Harbour seal populations have recently declined in south-east England, with no signs of recovery, according to research by the University of St Andrews. Scientists at the university's Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) recorded 29 per cent fewer harbour seals in the region in surveys over the past decade. The seals are counted using aerial footage during the August moult, when seals come to land and shed their fur. Human activity may be one of the reasons for the drop in numbers. Researchers at SMRU have called for further investigation into the decline, with possibilities including competition from grey seals, disease or biotoxin levels in the sea.
BBC News
05-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Seal pups: Public urged to look but not touch
It is seal pupping season on Northern Ireland's coastline, but members of the public are being asked to look from a distance and not approach the pups."Abandonment is the biggest issue that we see in here, and a lot of that is because they are born on busy public beaches," said Euan Morrison, head keeper at Exploris Seal Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre in Portaferry, County told BBC News NI scent played a large role in the bonding experience between a mum and her pup."A few years ago we had a grey seal who was moved about by some members of the public and we went back the next day to check on him and he had been bitten all over," said Euan. "We think he went up to mum looking for food and she didn't know who he was and tried to get rid of him." Since opening its doors in 1989, the sanctuary has helped rehabilitate and return nearly 600 sick, injured, or abandoned seal pups back into the a new season beginning, staff at the centre are bracing themselves for another busy period with five harbour pups already admitted. Seals are legally protected from killing and intentional or reckless Portaferry-based centre has asked the public to be mindful of the mammals this summer by taking pictures from a distance and contacting them should they have any concerns."Usually if a seal is on land there's a reason for it," said Mr Morrison."So we don't want to be trying to put them back in the water, they're not whales or dolphins, they're absolutely fine out of water. "Keeping an eye on dogs is also really important." 'Harbour seals are our biggest concern' Two species of seal inhabit the coast and seas around Northern Ireland, according to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera).The harbour seal is smaller, has a dog-like face and prefers more sheltered areas. The grey seal is larger, has a longer head and is more often seen in exposed 2024 there were about 1,185 harbour seals on the coastline around Northern Ireland, compared to an estimated 3,165 grey of the lower population numbers, the sanctuary has prioritised conservation efforts around harbour seals."The tight window between June and July when harbour seal pups are born is our biggest concern," Mr Morrison said. "They are the smaller of the two species and their numbers have not done as well as the grey seals." The road to recovery From rescue to release, the road to re-entering the wild has several stages including being placed in a hospital pen, feeding, learning to swim and socialise with other seals in a nursery pool, and finally learning to swim and feed in deeper waters in a pre-release pool. Aran Pollock, who is part of the animal care team, said without the round-the-clock care provided by the sanctuary many of the seal pups would starve or freeze to death."When you see them come in, some of them are in awful condition, they're just tiny," he seals are cared for by staff at the centre and tube-fed milk to build their strength before they are released."Once we have taken care of them enough, once we know that they can eat fish by themselves, when we know that they can swim very well in our deep pool, then there are pretty much no worries."However, each released seal has a tag so staff are able to keep an eye on their rescues even when they return to the wild. What to do if you spot a seal pup Grey seal pupping typically runs from the end of June into seals are born with a white fluffy coat to keep them warm and rarely enter the water in their first few weeks, so it is not uncommon to see them on beaches, rocks, and harbours around the will often leave pups on the shore to hunt for food and may not return if there are a lot of people in the area around the of the public should not attempt to return a seal to the advises people to keep dogs on a lead when walking on beaches, warning that grey seals in particular are capable of inflicting nasty bites and could injure you believe a seal is injured or in distress you can contact Exploris for help.
