Abandoned seal pups in Cornwall comforted by 'wetsuit mamas'

Seal pups separated from their mothers due to stormy conditions or difficulty feeding are being comforted by "wetsuit mamas".

The Cornwall Seal Hospital, run by the British Divers Marine Life Rescue Association, is currently looking after six seal pups.

With many just a few weeks old, the charity is using "wetsuit mamas," made from old wetsuits, to comfort the young seals.

The charity has been collecting spare wetsuit legs and repurposing them to prepare for the pupping season.

The "wetsuit mamas" look and feel like an adult seal, which helps young whitecoat pups recover so that they can return to the wild.

Dan Jarvis, Director of Welfare and Conservation at British Divers Marine Life Rescue Association said: "Our very young whitecoat pups that are maybe only one or two days old find rehabilitation very stressful, having sadly become separated from their mums.

"Their natural instinct is to suckle from their mum, so when they come in for rehabilitation with us, the wetsuit mamas act as something they can suckle on and can help them calm down."

Every year, Cornwall Seal Hospital rescues dozens of seal pups from across the Cornwall coast who have been separated from their mothers.

The pups often need months of care after arriving at the centre, and would not survive if left alone in the wild.

Cornwall Seal Hospital said they had a slow start to the season this year, but are now busy looking after several pups.

"As soon as the first pups are born we could get our first call. Right now we're right in the thick of it, and we're getting multiple call-outs per day," Mr Jarvis said.