Seal pups released back into the wild
Abandoned seal pups who have been nurtured and cared for in Hunstanton answered the call of the wild yesterday. Four baby seals rescued last summer breathed in their new found freedom before sliding into the water and swimming off.
Abandoned seal pups who have been nurtured and cared for in Hunstanton answered the call of the wild yesterday.
Four baby seals rescued last summer breathed in their new found freedom before sliding into the water and swimming off.
Corn, Spot, Floss and Albert arrived at the Hunstanton Sea Life Sanctuary a quarter of the weight they are now, but after six months at the sanctuary they proved to be quite a load as they were carried to the water on stretchers to be sent off back to sea.
Two of the pups, Corn and Spot were starving and dehydrated when they were found on the North Norfolk coast last July.
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Corn was in a critical condition suffering from pneumonia.
Kieran Copeland , animal care manager at the sanctuary said: 'Luckily both pups responded well to treatment, and after a period of intensive care in our newly redeveloped sea hospital were able to move outdoors and begin the long process of gaining weight and stamina.'
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Albert had bite wounds to his flippers and his chin when he was found believed to have been caused by a dog.
He said: 'Albert still bears the scars from his attack, but his wounds have healed nicely and in every other respect he's a healthy animal and ready to go it alone.'
Among the onlookers seeing the seals released were the Tasker family who decided to sponsor a seal after visiting the sanctuary in August.
Seven-year-old Jovie Tasker immediately developed a soft spot for Albert.
She said: 'He was really cute and he just stared up at me the first time he saw me.
'I was really happy for him seeing him released today because he had to go back to his real home.'
The seals were released near the mouth of the River Nene at Guy's Head in Sutton Bridge as the stronger current pushes the seals out to the sand banks and the sea.
The sanctuary will carry out two or three seal releases each year depending on how many seals have been brought into the sanctuary.
Mr Copeland said: 'I've been doing this for 15 years and to me it's a bit old hat but releasing the seals is the best bit. It can be very tiring doing the re-hap. You are kicking them back out and that is what the last three to six months has been about.'
