British ‘summer’ brings busiest seal rescue season on record

A last look back before being released Credit: Cornish Seal Sanctuary

This summer's bad weather has broken yet another record. Yes, the storms, relentless rain and heavy seas have meant it’s been a bumper year for seal rescues.

The Cornish Seal Sanctuary has rescued 62 seal pups so far this year – twenty more than their previous annual total. After caring for the pups, the team make sure they are fit and well, ready for release back into the water. The last of the 62 pups have just been taken to Gwithian beach.

Some of the pups came to the Sanctuary as overspill from the RSPCA, who also found themselves operating flat out because of the bad weather. It’s hoped through such efforts that the impact on the grey seal population overall is not too devastating. It may be a short break, however, with a new grey seal breeding season starting soon and the likelihood of more rescues from early September.