Seal pup given a 'speckle' of hope!

A routine seal identification visit to the haul out beach turned out to be anything but, when I saw a beautiful small female pup entangled tightly in monofilament fishing net. It's a heart sinking moment to see such a beautiful creature entangled in line that does not biodegrade. As the seal grows over the coming year, the ever tightening net will cause horrific injuries, as the net slices through first blubber & then vital organs leading to a long, drawn out and potentially painful death. With extremely difficult access, the tide rising and a haul out of 20 other seals on the beach, the chances of a rescue were very slim, but I made the call anyway. The BDMLR (British Divers Marine Life Rescue) arrived swiftly and were joined by Medics out for a coastal walk! A team of 3 headed down the steep cliff path, only to find the crux of the descent - a slippery and loose step - had worn away even more. Undeterred, Colin and Dan headed for the beach undetected by the pup.

Monofilament in front of left flipper (Left) : Monofilament behind right flipper (Mid left) : Rescue team (Mid right) : Checking kit (Right)

The other seals had retreated, but remained just offshore to watch from the safety of the sea. The rising tide had nearly reached the pup and the chances of grabbing the seal before it too made it into the safety of the sea were disappearing fast, until fate intervened. A particularly curious juvenile seal came up the beach to investigate the pup, who hauled further up the sand to avoid a confrontation. This one, chance intervention, made the rescue possible. Dan immobilised the seal, while Colin untangled and cut the monofilament line from the seal's body. A quick health assessment, however, showed the seal to have a wounded eye and injuries just above her rear flippers, so a trip to the Seal Sanctuary for treatment became necessary.

Speckle under cliff (Left) : Blocking route to the sea (Mid left) : Removing line (Mid right) : Bites & eye wound mean taking a trip (Right)

Carrying a writhing seal bag up a steep cliff is tough, but with the support of 2 other Medics, they finally reached the cliff top and was transferred to a cage for transport to Gweek. Named 'Speckle', we wish the pup a swift recovery and release back into the wild!

Rescue team (Left) : Seal bag at cliff top (Mid left) :Speckle in cage (Mid) : Monofilament cut from seal (Mid right) : Teamwork (Right)

Many thanks to:-

• The British Divers Marine Life Rescue Medics for their quick response to a call for help & for coordinating the rescue.
• The Animal Care Team at the National Seal Sanctuary.
• Seal Sanctuary staff and supporters who make this work possible.
• The National Trust for their on going support of our work with the seals.

Remember, if you see a seal pup on its own, please do not attempt to touch it. It is essential to keep out of sight, watch for Mum and to call the Seal Sanctuary on 01326 221361 as soon as you can . They will then send out an observation or rescue team, as appropriate.