For more of what we do during the winter please read on…The above pic is of a seal Chris , Kate, Kate’s mum and I rescued earlier this winter season. He was named “Basil Fawlty “by the Animal Care Team Staff at Gweek National Seal Sanctuary who have done a superb job of caring for him. He was called this because of his enormous swollen head( faulty head) he had from head injuries he received perhaps from rough seas and rocks or possible bite injury. Click here to see how he is progressing and hear more of his story…
Chris and I are both British Divers Marine Life Rescue Marine Mammal Medics and throughout the year but particuarly in the Winter season (which is Grey Seal Pupping time) we are on call as volunteers ,alongside a whole team of superb medics in the Cornwall area to attend Marine Mammal rescues. Here follows one day in our diary ….On a freezing cold day in January on a windy beach a lone seal pup hauls out at the high tide line and lies exhausted and dehydrated …too tired to make it back to the sea. He is now vulnerable to dog attack and major disturbance…Fortunately a member of the public call British Divers Marine Life Rescue and describe the state of the pup then wait for medics to arrive., keeping themselves and dogs back out of the way so they do not scare the pup. Philip and Lewis, 2 new recruits ,arrive first, amid a heavy shower of hail stones and assess the seal’s condition. Phillip takes the sharp end whist we take his temperature and assess his wounds. Dave Jarvis our senior medic indicates the seal needs treatment. We very carefully place the seal into a specially designed BDMLR seal bag being careful not to get bitten and carry him back across the beach.(NB..NEVER attempt to rescue a seal yourselves this could be very dangerous for both you and the seal…please follow the BDMLR advice:
please click for link…… http://www.bdmlr.org.uk/index.php?page=stranded-animals
to call BDMLR: BDMLR hotline: 01825 765546 (office hours) or 07787 433412 (out of hours)
Once safely removed from beach the seal pup is made more comfortable in a larger transportation box , so he doesn’t overheat. Lewis and Phillip British Divers Marine Life Rescue Marine Mammal Medics check he is fit for travel . Then off to meet the vet….
After a long arduous journey back from the vet …the little grey seal pup Phillip Phollop flops down into the sea, stops to rest for a minute, then disappears back into his own watery environment!
Bye Bye little seal …good luck!!
