Magnus has nearly finished moulting (getting there slowly). He is also having to fight off the girls mainly Sheba, Fatima and Snoopy plus Ray as at feeding time, they try to steal his bucket of fish.

If Fatima is unsuccessful trying to get fish by hanging round Magnus, she will help herself to the bucket of fish while the Animal Care Team’s backs are turned – she has been successful a few times.

Sheba is still with Marlin, and they are spending lots of time together. Sheba has finished moulting and is looking lovely in her new coat.

Anneka is now off treatment and is fully recovered from her eye.

Lizzie is spending more time away from Atlanta, and is spending her time playing with the pups. She is also jumping out on the side to receive her pill fish from the Animal Care Team.

Snoopy is still grumpy because she is still moulting, but has now found something new to moan about. Due to the very sunny weather at the Sanctuary this week, at 3pm everybody hauls out on to the side residents and pups included, this means less space for Snoopy. With her moaning, nobody can get an afternoon nap!

Ray is queuing for fish next to Magnus at feeding time, and is off treatment for his swollen face. He has also been fighting with the pups. The pups are enjoying sleeping on the top step in the Convalescence pool, and Ray goes in pushes them off, so he can sleep there, we think he has a case of ‘I’m the king of the castle...’

Atlanta is having identity crisis and thinks she is Marlin, when the Animal Care Team call Marlin out to receive his pill fish, Attie also jumps out in the hope of more fish. She is also getting the pups ready for the big wide ocean, and at feeding time can be found stealing fish out of the pup’s mouths.

Flotsam and Jetsam plus Little Ed, our Common seals, can be found basking in the sunshine in the afternoon, this is very rare for our Common seals. Flotsam and Little Ed having also been playing chase this week around the pool.

On Wednesday morning Ed was caged up for his return to Weymouth Sea Life Park. Little Ed was here at the Sanctuary temporally, as it had a few problems feeding for himself. Ed was a little unhappy being loaded into the cage, but settled down once we were on our way. We arrived at Weymouth, and took Little Ed to the Common seal pool. Ed was a little hesitant to go in, but once his flippers touched the water, nothing would stop him. He was a little scared at first by after 5 minutes, he was playing happily, with the other pups, and love the sunken boat.

As Tamara and Rachael left, Little Ed did pop up to the surface to say one last “Good Bye” to the people who had taken care of him over the last 10 months.

Now the Animal Care Team has only 2 pups to look after in the hospital, training can begin again with all our residents. Flipper and Yulelog were first to get started with the new year of training. Both are doing well, but unfortunately Yulelog’s refuses to open his mouth when we ask him to.

Rocky is very hungry at the moment, but doing ok. His new pool is slowly taking shape, and with the nice weather, should be ready on time. You can see how far we are along in the Sea Lion lagoon by clicking on this link.

Carus had some company this week, as the Animal Care Team drained and gave his pool a really good clean. Carus was his usual helpful self and kept lying where the Animal Care Team needed to clean, even spraying him with the hose was not enough to make him move his bottom. Carus has been also taking an interest in the builders that are doing Rocky’s pool, probably thinking Mmm lunch!!

Mika and Chaff, our Fur Seals, have been busy this week, making lots of noises, playing fetch with the rubber ring, and taking the hose pipe and playing with it, which takes cleaning a lot longer for the Animal Care Team.

Something is a foot at Otter Creek as the Animal Care Team came in one morning to find the water in their pool had disappeared overnight… As the pool was empty the Animal Care Team decided to de-leaf it, which Thai and Bamboo thoroughly enjoyed. The Otters have also been visited by some toads, and the Otters have entertained their guests by showing them around their holt.

With the lovely weather the goats have been going out for walks in the afternoon with the Animal Care Team. Elvis and Priscilla have to be on leads, but Churchill and Monty are allowed to run free. The walk normal consists of Churchill and Monty running on head, while the Animal Care Team shout out to our visitors to move out the way as they come running through. The ponies have also been out walking, them seem just to get to the lush green grass at the gardens and start hoovering up the grass before being forced to move on the Animal Care Team.

Reef, our cat, is up setting the ponies by sleeping on their bedding, so Tuppance has taken to chasing Reef out the stables.

Hospital - Main area
Cinders, in hospital pen 4, has had her second bloods taken, and we are waiting on the results. She is very bright and will now eat in front of people. Cyclops, in hospital pen 2, needs to have a few more days of eye drops, and he may be moving down to the pools early next week.

Common Seals Pool
All the grey seal pups are doing ok in the common seal pool. Pluto is still making a noise, but is now off eye treatment.

Convalescence Pool
Baloo, Lilo, Pugwash, Spongbob are now very big and if the weather holds should all be released back into the wild next week, as their pox is clearing up. All the pups are now wise at feeding time, and can be found sitting next to the Animal Care Team during the talk. Tigger is always the last out of the pool, at the end of the day to sit in the sunshine.