Pups Update : 28th of April 2026 - The whereabouts of the rescued seal pups. Do you have a favourite? all of the staff have their own favourite rescued pup(s).
Meet our newest rescue pup...Hot Cross Bun, he was rescued by British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) marine mammal medic volunteers on the 10th of April 2026, this little one didn´t have the easiest start. He was found tangled in fishing net, exhausted, dehydrated, and running a high temperature. It was clear he´d been struggling for several days.
Thankfully, some incredible people spotted him and called for help! Hot Cross Bun is now safe with our team and receiving the care he needs. He´s currently on antibiotics and pain relief, and his wounds are being cleaned regularly as he begins his road to recovery!
Say hello Churro...she was rescued on the 31st of March 2026 from Hemmick beach by the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) marine mammal medic volunteers. Churro was found dehydrated, malnourished, underweight at 17.5kg, lethargic with multiple puncture wounds around her neck, back flippers and a high temperature.
After a few days of fluids and sleep, Churro is feeling much better in the seal sanctuary´s hospital. She still needs some help with her fish, but hopefully when she is fully recovered and will start eating for herself. Once Churro is feeling much stronger, her wounds have healed and have put on some more weight, she will be moved outside to the nursery pools and make some friends. These photos of Churro were taken on the 8th of April 2026 in the hospital.
Once the rescued seal pups are stable and are at a healthy weight in the hospital, they will be moved down to the outside nursery pools for their next stage of rehabilitation.
Nursery Pools
28th April 2026 - No pups have graduated from the hospital to the nursery pools yet!
The rescued seal pups in the nursery pools are on the road to recovery and ready to mix with other seal pups, as well as have a deeper pool to swim in.
The pups will be learning how to behave in the wild, interacting with other seals and also competing for their fish, which are all vital skills the pups will need when they are released back into their ocean home.
The rehabilitation pool is the final stage of the rescued seal pups recovery! The pups in this enclosure are now healed of any wounds, recovered from any illnesses, and some just need to put on a few more kilos to get to the target weight of 30+kg before they are released back into the wild.
Release Time! - The Perfect Ending : 5 Pups Head Home this Month!
After a few weeks of unsettled weather and rough sea...the Cornish Seal Sanctuary is thrilled to announce the successful release of five of their rehabilitated seal pups. During the last week of April, Yum Yum, Doughnut, Fool, Gravy and Snicker Doodle, all finally went home after months of care at the Sanctuary, marking a hopeful turning point in the busy pup season.
The recent break in the weather has allowed the Sanctuary team to safely return these resilient pups to the sea. Some of these pups came to the Sanctuary as a direct result of storms, with seals suffering from injuries or exhaustion caused by the harsh conditions.
Several of this season´s pups were first responded to by British Divers Marine Life Rescue´s dedicated network of volunteers, who give up their own time to answer callouts, assist with rescues, and provide vital care for the animals in the critical days before they arrive at the Sanctuary. This collaboration between the two organisations ensures that more animals can be reached quickly and given the best possible chance of survival.
Yum Yum and Doughnut were released back into the wild on the 27th of April 2026.
Fool, Gravy and Snicker Doodle were released back into the wild on the 28th of April 2026. This time we had the privilege of being joined by 5 lovely VIPs, Helen Glover (British Professional Rower), Steve Backshall (Naturalist, Explorer, Writer and TV Presenter) and their three children, for this release.
Normally during these seal releases, the pups are out of the trailer as soon as the ramp is lowered and straight into the sea, but oh no, Gravy decided to play up, as hard as the Team tried with the boards to encourage him into the sea, the harder Gravy pushed back, but then Steve wandered over and looked at the pup, off Gravy shot, out to the sea leaving a tidal wave behind him. Click here to see a selection of photos of the release.
Banana is now feeling much better and has been joined in the old Common Seal Enclosure by Atlanta!
We hope you enjoy the selection of photos taken in April 2026, click here or on the photo of your choice below to see a larger version.
It´s time for this month´s naughtiest and nicest residents!
Marlin takes the top spot for goodest boy this month! He sat perfectly still and let the vets x-ray his flippers without any fuss. Absolute superstar behaviour, high 5, Marlin!
Bertie and Marvin on the other hand have chosen chaos. Pure chaos. They´ve been up to no good, refusing to come into their sheds at bedtime and instead choosing to cause havoc and chase one of our volunteers around the field.
Fancy taking on your own personal challenge for the Cornish Seal Sanctuary?
A big thank you to all the lovely 45 volunteers who came along to show their support at our local beach at Poldhu Cove on Sunday 19th of April 2026 for the Shark Trust Great Egg Case Hunt and beach clean.
We can achieve so much when we all work together!
So...we found 62.5kg general rubbish, 1.5kg recycling and 4 bags of dog poos.
Volunteer Spotlight : Meet Kat
Behind every rescue, rehabilitation, and successful release back into the wild, there´s a dedicated team of people making it all possible, and that includes the incredible volunteers.
The Cornish Seal Sanctuary´s Volunteer Spotlight series is a chance to shine a light on the people who give their time, energy, and passion to support the Sanctuary and the animals in our care. From early mornings to long days in all weathers, their commitment helps the Cornish Seal Sanctuary continue their vital work rescuing and rehabilitating seals.
In this feature, the Seal Sanctuary are introducing Kat, the longest-standing volunteer, whose journey with the Seal Sanctuary began in 2018 and has been a valued part of the team ever since!
Kat is one of the incredible regular volunteers at the Sanctuary, working closely with the animal care team. She first joined the Seal Sanctuary back in 2018 and is now one of the longest-standing volunteers, giving up countless Sundays to support the care of both the rehabilitation and resident animals, whatever the weather throws her way (rain, shine...and even snow!).
Balancing a full-time job and a busy family life, Kat still makes the journey to Cornwall to be with us! Over the years, she´s become a truly valued part of the Seal Sanctuary family and has even been here longer than many members of staff. The Team always look forward to the first Sunday of the month, knowing they will get to catch up with Kat. She brings such positive energy and enthusiasm, always ready to dive into whatever the day has in store.
The Seal Sanctuary simply couldn´t do what they do without the dedication of people like Kat. Click here to read Kat´s full story of her wonderful work with the Cornish Seal Sanctuary.
Adopt a Resident?
Give a gift that truly makes a difference, adopt a resident today and be a hero for wildlife!
By adopting one of the incredible resident seals or rescue puffins, you´ll be directly supporting their care and conservation! Your adoption helps to ensure that all of the resident animals receive the very best, from nutritious meals to expert veterinary support, and even fun enrichment activities to keep them happy and healthy.
Each adoption pack includes:-
- Certificate of Adoption
- A small Cornish Seal Sanctuary souvenir
- Photograph of your adopted resident
- Profile of your adopted resident
- 2 free entries to the Cornish Seal Sanctuary so you can visit your adopted friend
- Exclusive 20% voucher for the Café or Gift shop
Every adoption contributes to the ongoing efforts of the Cornish Seal Sanctuary, helping with the rescue, rehabilitate, and protect marine life for generations to come.
Your adoption not only supports your chosen animal but also plays a vital role in marine conservation. By adopting today, you become part of the Sanctuary´s mission to protect these wonderful creatures and their habitats.
Click here for more details.
This World Puffin Day - the Sanctuary are celebrating all things KAREN!
14th April marks the return of puffins across the Nordic region, to their breeding colonies, and the start of puffling season. So, what better time to celebrate the Sanctuary´s very own KAREN, the undisputed queen of Puffin Island!
Karen joined the Sanctuary in 2024 alongside nine fellow rescued puffins from our sister site, the Beluga Whale Sanctuary in Iceland. Rescued back in 2013 with a hip injury that has since developed into arthritis, she walks with a tell-tale wobble, but is a pro at swimming!
Are you a KAREN? Visit the Cornish Seal Sanctuary on Tuesday 14th April and your hot drink is on the Sanctuary, because every KAREN deserves to be celebrated.
This Easter become a Junior Marine Life Ranger!
During the Easter break embark on a wild adventure at the Cornish Seal Sanctuary and become a Junior Marine Life Ranger! Young explorers can meet the rescue pups, seals and puffins, complete fun challenges, and take the Ocean Protector Pledge to earn their Ranger Status.
Enjoy seal pup rescue demos, animal talks and feeds, nature walks, and the adventure playground, plus, over Easter Weekend (Friday 3rd - Monday 6th April 2026), join the Golden Egg Hunt for a chance to win egg-citing prizes! Don´t miss this unforgettable family adventure.
Cornwall Council voted unanimous for a Voluntary Ban on hollow Flying Rings on the 22nd of July 2025 and we are sure that your county wants to demonstrate that you are just as caring towards our marine life, so please push for a voluntary ban on flying rings in your areas.
We have 55,976 signatures so far and on our way to 100,000, so pushing for real change and action:- Local authorities voting on voluntary bans; retailers switching to solid disc frisbees; and growing awareness of the harm flying rings cause to seals.
Every name adds weight to protecting marine wildlife from unnecessary injury and suffering. Please click on this link! and share the petition and help keep the momentum going. Together, we can make beaches safer for seals.
This isn´t about stopping people from enjoying the beach; it´s about making a small, simple change that has a huge impact. Solid flying discs are just as fun, but unlike flying rings, they don´t pose a deadly risk to seals, dolphins, and other marine wildlife. By making the right choice, we can all help prevent the needless suffering of our coastal animals.
Each released seal pup is given a flipper tag with an unique ID number. This helps the Cornish Seal Sanctuary, the Seal Research Trust and other organisations to track and monitor where pups end up and how they are doing once they are back in the wild.
This month the following seals were spotted in the wild around south-west England:-
Joyce said "It is easy to identify Mayonnaise when you see him hauled out resting on the beach in the wild, because of the distinctive rope mark around his body...I´ve seen him hauled on the south side of Cornwall, but today I saw him on the west side of Cornwall as well. He has been recorded visiting at least three different haul out sites around the Cornish coast since last November."
Photo Credit : Joyce Williams - Ricky Gervais - 26th April 2026
By monitoring the behaviour of seals after released back into the wild, the Cornish Seal Sanctuary, Seal Research Trust and other organisations can use this information to define the best practice standards and policies that they can share with the international rescue community.
Each seal´s fur pattern is unique and enables the organisations to track them for life.
Seals face many challenges, yet we all depend on them to balance our marine ecosystem, which is essential to make the oxygen we breathe.
Seals are our globally rare wildlife tourist attraction, helping diversify coastal economic prosperity.
We went to check on a seal haul-out during low tide in Cornwall this month - we hope you like our photos. Click here to see a selection of photos.
These photos were taken with Nikon Coolpix P1000 camera which contains a 3000mm zoom lens!
This news update has been put together by volunteers/supporters of the Cornish Seal Sanctuary.
