Joy Division was rescued on 18th March 2019
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Joy Division, a 16 week old male seal pup, was rescued on 18th March 2019 from Portreath by volunteer marine mammals medics from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR).
This pup was found with a high temperature of 39.0°C and wounds to his flipper along with infection to both lower canines. He currently weighs 28kg.
Click here to see a larger version of this photo.
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Update - 3rd April 2019 : Joy Division has now been moved to the outside nursery pools for his next stage of rehabilitation and to learn how to compete for fish with other rescued seal pups during feeding time.
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Update - 22nd April 2019 : Joy Division is now in the convalescent pool for his final stage of rehabilitation and before he is returned back into the wild soon. He currently weighs 30kgs.
His flipper tag ID number is 367 (orange).
Click here to see a larger version of this photo below was taken on 21st April 2019.
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Update - 17th May 2019 : Joy Division was due to be returned back in to the wild on 10th May 2019 but on the day of his release, the Animal Care Team noticed that he had a swollen jaw, so he will spend a few more weeks at the Seal Sanctuary. He currently weighs 37kgs.
Update - 1st June 2019 : Joy Division is currently in nursery pool 1.
Click here to see a larger version of this and a further photo taken on 31st May 2019.
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Update - 3rd July 2019 : Joy Division keeps falling out with Rubik´s Cubic, it will not be too long before they both are back in the wild.
Click here to see a larger version of this photo was taken on 29th June 2019.
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Update - 21st July 2019 : Joy Division along with A-ha, Rubik´s Cube, Strawberry Shortcake and Whitney Houston were released back into the wild on 17th July 2019 at Porthtowan beach.
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Update - 17th February 2025 : Joy Division has been seen at various sites around the Cornish coastline on 18th March 2019, 21st July 2019, 5th & 30th December 2019, 7th February 2020, 9th & 23rd March 2020, 23rd April 2020, 13th May 2020,
© Photo credit : Sue Sayer - Seal Research Trust (SRT) - 7th February 2020.
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On 3rd March 2021 Joy Division was seen with a flying ring around his neck, in a remote location, where it would be difficult to help him.
© Photo credit : John Adelson - Seal Research Trust (SRT) - 3rd March 2021
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There were often sightings after that, where it was not possible to help him, until the sighting on the evening of 22nd March 2021. Seal Research Trust alerted British Divers Marine Life Rescue and the Cornish Seal Sanctuary, so qualified volunteers, abseiled down the cliff, and managed to grab Joy Division and cut off the ring.
© Photo credit : Sue Sayer - Seal Research Trust (SRT) - 22nd March 2021.
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Why do seals get the rings on them? - Young seals learn through play. A hollow flying ring in the sea makes a great toy, so they swim over, under, around it and through it.
What happens if the seal can´t get the ring off? - As they grow, the flying ring doesn´t and the seals ends up with hideous painful, life threatening injuries, and a shortened life.
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Since being released back into the wild, Joy Division has been seen 46 times at 6 different sites around the Cornish coastline by 18 different Seal Research Trust (SRT) volunteers.
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Sightings Update - 23rd July 2025 : 9th June 2021, 8th, & 9th July 2021, 16th September 2021, 11th & 18th November 2021, 13th, 20th, 24th & 30th December 2021, 5th, 13th & 17th January 2022, 3rd & 12th February 2022, 2nd April 2022,
17th & 18th August 2022, 3rd & 11th October 2022, 10th November 2022,
© Photo credit : Sue Sayer - Seal Research Trust (SRT) - 10th November 2022
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15th & 20th December 2022, 26th March 2023, 27th October 2023, 30th October 2024, 17th February 2025 and 8th & 23rd July 2025 by
Seal Research Trust (SRT) volunteers.
© Photo credit : Sue Sayer - Seal Research Trust (SRT) - 17th February 2025
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By monitoring the behaviour of seals after release 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.
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