Ocean winds influence seal pup migration

Date:  February 13, 2018

Source:  American Geophysical Union

Summary:

Scientists have confirmed what native Alaskans have observed for centuries -- maritime winds influence the travel patterns of northern fur seal pups. New research shows strong winds can potentially displace seal pups by hundreds of kilometers during their first winter migration.

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Norfolk grey seal twin pups R2-D2 and C-3PO 'a world first'

7 March 2016

Two seal pups, which were believed to be the first wild grey seal twins born in the UK, are the first to be recorded in the world, it has been confirmed.

The pups were abandoned by their mother after being born at Horsey Gap in Norfolk in November.

The seals and blood-soaked sand from the birth site were tested and revealed they have the same mother.

Anne Kirstine Frie, of the Institute of Marine Research in Norway, said: "It is so rare. It is very exciting."

The female and male are being cared for at the RSPCA Wildlife Hospital at East Winch, near King's Lynn, where they were named R2-D2 and C-3PO.

Experts had hoped they were twins and were unaware of any grey seal twins recorded in the UK. The Institute of Marine Research, which carried out the tests, confirmed it was the first record of wild grey seal twins in the world.

Ms Frie said: "It's very unusual.

They were born on 28 November and rescued after their mother stopped feeding them for 24 hours

"I have never experienced it myself, and my British colleagues who do a lot of fieldwork have never observed it.

"It must happen in the wild from time to time, but we have never had knowledge of wild grey seal twins.

"In the wild they very rarely survive, the both of them, but these are both in good health."

Read on …

Hurt seals flood wildlife centre after tidal surge

A wildlife centre is "struggling" to treat more than 100 seal pups injured and separated from their mothers in last week's tidal surge in Norfolk.

About 40 were brought in to the East Winch centre, near King's Lynn, on Friday, but the number rose sharply over the weekend, the charity said.

The RSPCA's Katya Mira said staff had been "working around the clock" to treat the pups.

"It couldn't have happened at a worse time," she said.

Ms Mira said the surge had happened right at the height of the "pupping season".

Continued and video

Seal pups in Norfolk lost to deadly storm surge

Hundreds of grey seals have been lost on the north Norfolk coast due to the deadly storm surge, say experts.

The National Trust, which supports volunteers at Horsey Gap, issued a statement confirming 263 seals have been lost from the beach.

The charity urged visitors to the area not to interfere with the pups and allow the colony to recover naturally.

The white coats of young pups are a common sight on the beaches at this time of year.

Continued

X Factor seals: Stranded Isle of Man pups returned to the wild

Three seal pups nursed back to health after they were stranded off the Isle of Man coast in stormy weather have been released back into the wild.

The seals, named after X Factor judges Simon Cowell, Nicole Scherzinger and Cheryl Cole, were severely underweight when they were found, aged four weeks.

The pups are the latest to be nursed by Jenny Corran at the Manx Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Ms Corran said she was "delighted to see them back where they belong".

Simon and Nicole were both rescued in Peel in October, along with two other pups named Gary (Barlow) and Tulisa (Contostavlos), which have already been released.

The MSPCA has rescued and returned more than 100 seals to the wild, since 2001.

Ms Corran said: "They arrive underweight and we help them to regain their strength on a diet of fish soup, vitamins and herring.

Continued:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-isle-of-man-21573835

Seal pup tourists on Norfolk coast 'chaotic for roads'

Almost 30,000 people visiting a Norfolk beach in the past three months to see hundreds of newborn seal pups have caused "parking chaos", a warden said.

Peter Anstell, chair of the Friends of Horsey Seals (FHS), said the "phenomenal" number of pups had turned Horsey into a tourist attraction.

Volunteers from FHS are attempting to keep visitors from disturbing the record 600 pups on the beach.

Norfolk Police has advised people to stay away because of traffic problems.

Grey seals begin arriving at Horsey beach in November, give birth over the coming months, and suckle their young before leaving in late January or February.

In the past decade, the number of seals born on the beach has risen from about six to about 600 this season, which Mr Anstell described as "a bit of a phenomenon".

"Visitor numbers is a real issue for local people," he said.

Continued:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-20901815

Isle of Man seal calf warning as first pups are born

Wildlife experts in the Isle of Man have issued a seal pup warning ahead of the annual breeding season.

Officials from the Manx Wildlife Trust said pups may look harmless but they have extremely sharp teeth and can be aggressive if approached.

The first pups of the season were recently spotted on the Calf of Man.

Marine officer Eleanor Stone said mothers have been known to abandon their pups if they are unduly disturbed by the public.

Ms Stone said: "The wardens on the Calf of Man have found two pups already and over the next few weeks many more will begin their lives on this remote island."

Read on:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-isle-of-man-19663098

Baby Seal On St Andrews Beach Rescued From Freezing Scottish Weather

Staff from an aquarium came to the rescue of a seal pup as it struggled in freezing temperatures.


St Andrews Aquarium in Fife said it was "inundated" with phone calls from members of the public telling them a small, grey seal pup, thought to be only weeks old, had washed up on West Sands beach in St Andrews.

Aquarium staff tended to the seal before the Scottish SPCA took the pup to its wildlife rescue centre in Fife.

Andrew Whiston, displays manager at the aquarium, said: "Upon assessing the situation we immediately called the Scottish SPCA to attend.

"Because of the general physical state of the young animal, who was very underweight, shivering and clearly very ill, they asked if we could capture him and administer immediate first-aid treatment pending their arrival, which we duly did.

"Time was clearly of the essence and our first task was to get the young pup warm as he was clearly struggling with the temperatures of the Scottish winter.

"We kept him off the ground on a warm vet bed until the Scottish SPCA could collect him and take him to their wildlife rescue centre in Fife."

The Scottish SPCA said the young seal, who staff named Atlantis after the space shuttle, is expected to make a full recovery.

Rescue centre manager Colin Seddon said: "Atlantis was very light and hadn't been thriving, so this was clearly a seal pup that needed rescuing.

"We'll continue to care for him until he is ready to be released back into the wild."

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2011/12/05/baby-seal-on-st-andrews-beach-weather-freezing-ice-scotland_n_1129652.html?ref=uk

Seal found in main street of Scottish town

A seal pup is recovering at an animal rescue centre after it was washed into Helensburgh's main street on Friday morning.


The animal, which is thought to be three or four weeks old and female, was swept into the town's main street in the early hours.

A passer-by spotted the animal outside a shop in the town's West Clyde Street who alerted the police, who then contacted the Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue Trust, an animal welfare charity based in Beith.

It is thought that the pup became separated from other seals during a period of bad weather, the wind and waves carrying the animal ashore.

The seal pup is now being cared for by the charity at their rescue centre. It is not thought to have suffered any injuries and is thought to be in good health, but is getting treated with antibiotics as a precaution.

It was, however, suffering from dehydration and has lost a lot of weight since becoming separated from its mother. The charity is confident that the pup will make a full recovery.

The local charity takes in injured and orphaned wild animals, and last year cared for almost 3,500. They currently have two other seal pups in their care, a common seal that was found in the River Clyde near Glasgow Green and a grey seal that came from Ayr.

David O'Reilly from Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue said: "They each eat about 30-50 herrings a day, so they will be keeping us busy with the amount of fish that they will eat over the winter."

It is expected that the animal will be released back into the wild early next year.

By John Kilbride

http://news.stv.tv/scotland/west-central/208636-seal-pup-recovering-after-being-washed-into-helensburghs-main-street/

Baby seal in garden named Rudolph

Tuesday, 22 December 2009

A family who found a baby seal in their back garden in Kent 18 miles from the sea named her Rudolph, saying she was a "brilliant Christmas present".

The pup, which the RSPCA said was less than a year old, was in the Dwyer family's garden in Benenden on Monday morning when they let out pet dog Jack.

"We could see it came from the stream at the end of the garden from tracks in the snow," said Harriet Dwyer.

"I heard Jack barking and went over to see what looked like a huge slimy cat."

It is thought the seal got into the stream from the River Rother, which meets the English Channel at Rye.

Storms or floods

"It got in our pond and I think it ate some of my parents' goldfish," said Miss Dwyer.

"Jack is a collie and rounded it up a bit and it eventually settled in the herb garden by the corner of the house."

The RSPCA is now caring for the seal, which has been renamed Gulliver, at Mallydams Wood Wildlife Centre near Hastings in East Sussex.

Keeper Elaine Crouch said baby seals often became separated from their mothers in bad weather such as storms or floods.

"This one is a really good weight, and not starving but has been completely lost," she said.

"She has a a tag from Belgium, probably put on by the rehabilitation centre at Ostend, then she got into the River Rother and ended up in the stream."

See video at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8427436.stm

Charity in 'leave seal pups' plea

Foggy was found on a beach in the Highlands

People have been warned against touching or picking up seal pups they may find on beaches this summer.

The Scottish SPCA said there was a danger of healthy animals being taken from where their mother had left them while they hunted at sea.

However, the animal welfare charity added that it did expect to have to deal with large numbers of sick seals.

It asked anyone finding what they believed to be an ill pup to telephone the organisation.

Among the first casualties of the year was a young male common seal, nicknamed Foggy.

He was taken to the SSPCA's wildlife rescue centre in Fife after being picked up by a member of the public on a beach at Arisaig in Lochaber.

Centre manager Colin Seddon said: "Seal pups look very cute and appealing and good-intentioned people can mistakenly rescue perfectly healthy pups just because they are basking on the beach.

"But the mother can leave a seal pup unattended for up to five hours while she is out hunting and she may be watching from a distance.

"Anyone picking a pup up will cause distress to the mother and could harm the pup's chances of survival."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/8136196.stm