Meet Babybel...a little female grey (whitecoat) seal who arrived at the Sanctuary on the 6th of August 2026 after being rescued from Port Gaverne. At just around seven days old, she should still have been snuggled up with her mum. After being carefully monitored for 48 hours by British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) marine mammal medics volunteers, it became clear that mum wasn´t going to return and Babybel was becoming weak.
So, she came safely to the Sanctuary, where she could be rehydrated and cared for. The animal care team are delighted to say she is already making great progress and has learnt to feed herself and even had her first swim! For now, it´s all about eating, sleeping and growing before she heads out to the outside rehabilitation pools.
And yes...if you guessed CHEESE as this year´s pup naming theme, you´d be right!
Please Give Seals Space!
You may have spotted Trunk, a much-loved adult female grey seal, spending some time hauled out on the beach at Newquay Harbour recently.
At around 30 years old, Trunk needs her rest, meaning plenty of time out of the water sunbathing!
With Trunk spending more time on the beach, there have been an increasing number of close encounters with members of the public and it is important to remember that she is still a wild animal. Please help us keep both Trunk and people safe by giving her plenty of space.
Remember if you see any seal on the beach.
- Don´t feed them
- Keep dogs on leads
- Keep your distance
- Stay quiet
- Never block their route back to the sea
- Don´t attempt to touch, move or encourage them back into the water
- If you´re concerned about their welfare or the situation is becoming unsafe, contact the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) on 01825 765546.
Grey seals have powerful jaws and very sharp teeth. Even a seal that is used to busy harbour life can bite if frightened, cornered or startled.
Trunk has been part of life around Newquay Harbour since 2003, and we´d love to see her continue enjoying her favourite haul-out spot for many years to come.
Sometimes Trunk is joined by Radley, another female seal who deserves exactly the same respect.
Please cut and paste and share this post and help us spread the word! #greyseal #newquay #cornwall #givesealsspace
Jarvis is a much-loved resident at the Cornish Seal Sanctuary, and since the day he was rescued in 2016, he has been living with cataracts in both eyes. He´s never seen the faces of the people who care for him or the other seals he shares his home with.
Despite everything, Jarvis has never let his blindness define him. He´s playful, cheeky and full of personality. He has learned to navigate his world with incredible resilience, relying on his other senses and the dedication of his expert care team. Everyone who meets him falls in love with his gentle nature and determination.
Now, for the first time, there is hope.
Specialist veterinary surgeons believe that cataract surgery could give Jarvis the chance to see for the very first time. It´s an opportunity that could transform his life forever, but it comes at a significant cost.
The surgery, specialist veterinary care and rehabilitation will cost around £7.8k for each eye, and the Cornish Seal Sanctuary need your help to make it possible.
Every donation, no matter how big or small, brings Jarvis one step closer to seeing his world for the very first time.
Together, we can help make that moment a reality.
If you´re unable to donate, you can still make a huge difference by sharing Jarvis´ story with your friends, family and community.
Thank you for believing in Jarvis and giving him the chance to experience something most of us take for granted - the gift of sight.
Let´s help Jarvis see the world for the very first time!
Update - 21st August 2026 : The Cornish Seal Sanctuary have now raised just over £2,000 towards helping Jarvis see again!
We are so grateful for every donation, but there is still a long way to go. Can you help the Cornish Seal Sanctuary get Jarvis one step closer to seeing the world around him?
Fancy taking on your own personal challenge for the Cornish Seal Sanctuary?
The Cornish Seal Sanctuary are proud to be teaming up with Battersea Park Children´s Zoo as part of the #ShareSavvy campaign!
Together, we´re encouraging everyone to think before they share wildlife content online.
While cute and unusual animal videos can be entertaining, they don´t always tell the full story. By being Share Savvy, you can help ensure that the content you engage with promotes animal welfare, conservation and responsible care!
Ask yourself:-
- Is this animal displaying natural behaviours?
- Does this content promote positive animal welfare?
- Could sharing this encourage harmful practices?
- Every share has the power to make a difference. Join us and help create a more informed and compassionate online world for wildlife!
Join the Cornish Seal Sanctuary this summer for Wild Adventures around the Sanctuary! Follow the wildlife trail, get creative with nature-inspired crafts, take on fun outdoor challenges, and discover the sights, sounds and textures of the natural world along the way.
With activities designed to inspire curiosity about wildlife and conservation, there´s plenty for the whole family to enjoy during your visit. Book your entrance tickets in Advance.
SEA LIFE Trust Global Beach Clean
Date : Thursday 17th September 2026
Time : 2pm
Location : Maenporth beach
Join the Cornish Seal Sanctuary to take part in the beach clean and protect our beaches and waterways!
Let´s keep our beaches beautiful, protect local wildlife, and have a fun afternoon out!
Suitable footwear and clothing is advised. Children are welcome! All children must be supervised by a responsible adult.
Don´t forget that everyone who takes part with the Cornish Seal Sanctuary, gets free day entry* to the Sanctuary! *Pass must be redeemed within 12 months´ of beach clean.
Find your new Best Friend
For just £4 a month you can help care for the seals and puffins who live permanently at the Cornish Seal Sanctuary.
These animals cannot return to the wild due to long-term health conditions or specialist care needs. Here, they have a safe home for life.
Your support helps provide the care they depend on every single day. Find your new best friend today - via this link!
Behind every rescued seal pup, cared-for resident animal and successful release, there´s a dedicated team of staff and volunteers working tirelessly to make it happen. This month, the Cornish Seal Sanctuary are shining a spotlight on one of the incredible volunteers, Tabby, who has become a valued member of the Animal Care team.
Tabby joined in December 2024 and has volunteered with the Seal Sanctuary every week since, braving the worst of the winter weather and supporting the team through one of the busiest pup seasons. Whether it´s helping during intensive veterinary visits, assisting with rescues and releases, or stepping in on particularly busy days, Tabby is always ready to lend a hand.
One of her most memorable experiences was assisting with the rescue of a particularly grumpy seal pup named Doughnut. Despite it being her very first rescue, the Team had every confidence that she would do a fantastic job - and she certainly did.
Over the past few months, we have watched Tabby´s confidence grow immensely. Her positive attitude, reliability and willingness to help wherever needed make her a joy to work alongside. She has a special bond with the resident goats, who can always count on fresh bedding, plenty of care and, of course, lots of head scratches when she´s around.
Click here to read more!
It´s time for this month´s naughtiest and nicest residents!
Sigurbjörg aka Sig is the naughty Resident for picking on Freyja!
Logs - is the nicest Resident for doing so well in his training!
Jam or Cream first?
Make your next visit extra sweet between May - September...Join the VIP Cream Tea & Guided Tour experience at the Cornish Seal Sanctuary. Start with a fascinating guided tour, where you´ll hear the stories of the resident animals, visit Cornwall´s oldest working Seal Hospital, and discover how we rescue, rehabilitate and release seal pups back to the wild.
Then unwind with a traditional Cornish cream tea, fresh scone, clotted cream, jam, and your choice of tea or coffee.
Afterwards, enjoy the rest of your visit at your leisure, from meeting the seals to soaking up views across the Helford River.
Every year, seals are injured by discarded flying rings and other plastic waste left behind on our beaches. These entanglements can cause devastating injuries, infections, and in some cases, can sadly be fatal.
Alicia Wiley has been speaking out about the growing issue and why urgent action is needed to help protect marine life around our coastline.
We´re asking our supporters to stand with us by signing the petition calling for change and helping spread awareness about the dangers these items pose to seals in the wild.
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. We have 64,442 signatures so far and on our way to 100,000, so pushing for real change and action.
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 the coast of south-west England:-
(c) Photos Credit : Terry Thirlaway - Turtle - 24th August 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 seals haul-outs 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.
