Experience: Cornish Seal Sanctuary

CORNISH SEAL SANCTUARY

The first pup of the season – and a major fundraising campaign

When you visit the Cornish Seal Sanctuary, not only will you have a fun and informative day out, but you will also help to fund its vital work. It costs an average of £2,000 to rescue and rehabilitate a seal for release, all covered by donations and money spent at the charity’s site in Gweek, near Helston.

But rising bills and inflation saw many visitors reduce spending across the county over the summer, with visitor attractions hit hardest as people opted for free activities. “It has been a tough year for many families, charities and businesses, as we’ve seen budgets tightened to accommodate the cost of living,” says general manager Jana Sirova.

“As a charity, we need all the support we can get to ensure we can continue to care for the beautiful marine mammals around our coastline for years to come. Whether it’s donating to this year’s pup season appeal, visiting our site or even sharing our social media posts, every little helps.”

More than 50 pups were rescued during the 2021/22 season through autumn and spring, from various spots around the Cornish coastline. Each pup is monitored and treated in hospital before being moved into the rehabilitation pools for ongoing support, with the aim of heading back into the sea. to the 2022/23 pupping season. Parsley was discovered alone on a small beach near Portherras Cove, between Pendeen and Morvah in West Penwith. Volunteer medics from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) monitored her over 24 hours in case her mother was nearby, but noted signs of starving behaviour, such as roaming the beach and calling out.

Parsley was transferred to Head & Head veterinary surgery in Helston, where vets judged her to be just a few days old, with her umbilicus still attached, an ulcer in her left eye and weighing in at just 10.3kg – less than the standard 14kg for a newborn pup. Sadly, despite expert care and continuous monitoring, Parsley passed away on September 5.

Six pups have been rescued so far, with two remaining in care: Chilli and Curry, following this year’s naming theme of herbs and spices. Both are gaining in strength. “The best thing for a pup is to spend as much time with its mother as possible, so bringing pups into the sanctuary is never an easy decision and always a last resort,” says sanctuary curator Tamara Cooper.

The sanctuary opened in 1975, and is now part of the SEA LIFE Trust, a global charity that also manages the Beluga Whale and Puffin Sanctuary in Iceland. A £1.3million Fund Our Future campaign was launched on September 1 to futureproof the Gweek site for years to come.

This project will see the replacement and construction of four new pools, doubling the water volume across the site; the installation of a state-of-the-art filtration system for better water quality; and a new undercover viewing area with seating and education spaces.

As part of the fundraising process, colourful paintings by resident Humboldt penguin Squidge were sold at auction, raising £5,230. “The paintings resulted from Squidge’s enrichment activities, which are a vital part of keeping animals happy and healthy while living in captivity,” said fundraising manager Leanne Webb. “But it was a wonderful way to share such an important fundraising campaign and help us towards reaching our goal.” l

IF YOU FIND A PUP ON THE BEACH:

Keep dogs on leads and children away

Do not to approach or chase the seal back into the sea

For signs that a pup is in distress or needs medical attention, and what to do next, visit sealsanctuary.sealifetrust.org/en/