Pups Update : 28th of January 2026 - The whereabouts of the rescued seal pups. Do you have a favourite? all of the staff have their own favourite rescued pup(s).
Once these 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.
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.
Its the start of a new year and time for 2 more rescued seal pups to return home to the sea.
On the 2nd of January 2026, Flapjack and Sorbet had their final weight checks and were then loaded into the back of the vehicle from the rehabilitation pool and released back into the wild.
All the seal pups confidently made their way down to the water; a quick look back to some of their carers for the past two months and off they went, a heart-warming moment that marks the successful end of their rehabilitation journey. We all wished them good luck and waved with a few tears in our eyes.
Meet Panettone, an 8-12 weeks old male grey seal pup, was rescued on the 2nd of January 2026 from Sennen Cove by the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) marine mammal medic volunteers. He was found bright and alert but with a number of very nasty wounds on his rear flippers. The pup was uplifted and taken to the BDMLR´s seal hospital in Cornwall for initial treatment and care. After spending a few weeks at the BDMLR hospital, Panettone was transferred to the Sanctuary´s hospital in Gweek to continue his rehabilitation journey on the 22nd of January 2026.
Panettone enjoying splashing around and having his dinner in the weaning pool on the 10th of January 2026 at the BDMLR´s (BDMLR) hospital.
Meet Pancake, a 8-10 weeks old female grey seal pup, was rescued from Chapel Porth near St Agnes by the BDMLR volunteers, Esther and Dan. The pup was found hauled out at the top of the beach next to the access from the car park. Esther monitored the pup for a while from a distance until Dan arrived, as the seal looked underweight, they went ahead and carried out a full assessment. She was underweight at 15.2kg for her age, dehydrated, malnourished, lethargic, a little weak and also had a few minor wounds. This pup was uplifted and taken to the BDMLR seal hospital for initial treatment and care then on the 14th of January 2026 was transferred to the Sanctuary to continue her rehabilitation. These photos below showing Pancake arriving at the Sanctuary´s hospital.
Meet Cake, a 12+ weeks old male grey seal pup, was rescued on the 16th of January 2026 from a beach in St Ives Bay by Ben, Sanctuary´s Animal Care Specialist, and was accompanied by a volunteer. They were dispatched to check on the pup. After monitoring the pup from a distance for a while, a decision was made by Ben to carry out a full assessment and found the seal was found very lethargic with mild pneumonia and several mouth wounds that needed treating.
This is Chocolate Cake, a 10-12 weeks old female grey seal pup, was rescued from Hawkers Cove on the 17th of January 2026 by the BDMLR. She was found with wounds to her body, respiratory problems, malnourished and underweight.
Say hello to Granita, a 10-12 weeks old female grey seal pup, was rescued from Crantock beach on the 17th of January 2026 by the BDMLR. She was found with wounds to her body and underweight.
Stormy Weather Delays Seal Pup Releases as Call Outs Surge Across Cornwall
Monday 26th January 2026
The Cornish Seal Sanctuary is experiencing a sharp increase in seal pup call outs following the recent storm affecting Cornwall, with several reports coming in each day from across the county´s coastline.
Working closely with British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR), the Sanctuary´s rescue and hospital teams are responding to growing numbers of seals in difficulty. As a result, the Sanctuary´s hospital is currently at full capacity, with space only becoming available once rehabilitated pups can be released back into the wild.
Megan Reay, the Sanctuary´s Animal Care Supervisor, said "Recently we have seen quite a few pups come in to us with malnourishment and exhaustion. Sadly, we also have a case of a pup being entangled in fishing gear, which is unfortunately a serious and ongoing threat to marine wildlife around the UK coastline. This pup affectionally named "Cheesecake" is currently being cared for in our nursery pools and making great progress in her rehabilitation and recovery."Click here to read the Press Release.
Our lovely resident, Banana, was rescued as a pup in 2019 but could not be released back into the wild due to ongoing seizures. Over the years, the team have trailed various anti-seizures medications to help keep Banana´s seizures under control and had managed her seizures effectively, allowing her to enjoy life at the Sanctuary for several years. Unfortunately, over the past year her seizures have increase in frequency, meaning her current medication is no longer fully effective.
Following advice from the Sanctuary´s veterinary team, the team have started Banana on a new anti-seizure treatment, which can take up to 8 weeks to be fully effective. During this time, just before Banana was moved this photo (19th January 2026) was taken into common´s seals enclosure. This means Buddy, Bo and Jarvis have moved to her Rocky Shores home. Banana´s pool is being kept empty except for supervised paddles. Please be assured that the team is taking great care of Banana, monitoring her closely, and giving her plenty of toys and attention to keep her happy!
Just grab a cuppa and relax - It´s Seal Meditation Time with Mr Logs!
Happy 9th Birthday to our Queen of Chaos - Aayla!
Happy 24th Birthday to our gentle giant - Marlin!
This month, we are giving a huge shoutout to an amazing pupil from Oakbridge School.
They´ve combined their love for seals with a passion for technology by creating and selling 3D-printed seals at school, with every penny raised going directly towards supporting the Cornish Seal Sanctuary.
A massive thank you to this brilliant young fundraiser and everyone at Oakbridge School for supporting the Cornish Seal Sanctuary´s charity.
Fancy taking on your own personal challenge for the Cornish Seal Sanctuary?
We hope you enjoy the selection of photos taken in January 2026, click here or on the photo of your choice below to see a larger version.
Have you ever heard a beaver before? The Team have captured this adorable interaction between Parsnip and Turnip! Just turn up the volume to listen!
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.
Click here to visit the Cornish Seal Sanctuary´s Official Online Shop.
Oceanographic Magazine - Issue No. 46!
Around 50% of grey seal pups won´t survive their first year. Off the coast of Cornwall, one young grey seal pup named Emilia beat those odds, thanks to a coordinated network of volunteers, medics, and animal care specialists. Found alone and badly injured on a slipway in Spring 2024, Emilia was rescued by British Divers Marine Life Rescue and transferred to the Cornish Seal Sanctuary. Here she spent two months receiving specialist veterinary care until she gradually recovered.
In this feature, environmental photojournalist Lewis Jefferies follows Emilia´s journey, and the people proving that when it comes to conservation, individual actions still make a difference.
Read Seeking Sanctuary now in Oceanographic Magazine Issue 46 : OCEAN ORACLES
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´ve just passed 50,000 signatures 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:-
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.
