Keem Bay was rescued on 6th April 2024
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The volunteer media team for this website received an email from Michael, a member of the public, about a young seal pup on the beach at Holywell Bay very early on Saturday morning (6th of April 2024). Michael said "This maybe something or nothing but I have just been dog walking on Holywell beach and came across a seal, I didn´t want to get too close and it sort of hissed at me. It appeared to have green dye or something on its back. 600 yards from the footbridge on the left hand side next to the stream".
We contacted the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) area coordinator to ask them if they could send some marine mammal medics to check on the pup. We also sent a text message to the animal care team at Gweek to advise them of this.
The BDMLR area coordinator arranged for local marine mammal medics to check on the seal. The seal was assessed and found to have a slightly high temperature, very malnourished for his age with weight of 15kg and some wounds to his body, we assumed from dog attacks.
Whilst Lizzi and Julian, BDMLR medics, were assessing this pup, there were dogs off the lead trying to attack the pup.
It was decided to uplift the pup and take him to the BDMLR Cornwall Seal Hospital as the Gweek Seal Sanctuary´s hospital was full.
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Photos Credit : Lizzi Larbalestier - BDMLR
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Update - 8th April 2024 : The pup was transferred to the Sanctuary´s hospital at Gweek a few days later on the 8th of April 2024, to continue his rehabilitation journey.
The pup had a light blue tag with number SRI-N-114, after checking the BDMLR found that "Keem Bay" had already been rehabbed at Seal Rescue in Ireland for three months after being rescued as a whitecoat. Upon release back into the wild on the 26th of January 2024, for some reason, he travelled to Cornwall, unfortunately losing a lot of weight. On uplift, he was also, understandably, extremely exhausted.
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Update - 21st April 2024 : As you read above, Keem Bay was originally rehabbed in Ireland, but once released back into the wild, he made his way to Cornwall where he struggled to find food and picked up an infection. He is feeling so much better and eating for himself in the hospital. Once Keem Bay gains more weight, he will be moved down to the outside nursery pools. These photos below were taken on the 19th of April 2024.
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Update - 21st May 2024 : The weather conditions in Cornwall were perfect to release some of the seal pups who had been staying at the Sanctuary for the past few months were released back into the wild on the 21st of May 2024 at Church Cove.
Keem Bay and River Dee were both at a good weight and fully recovered thanks to the care and expertise of the brilliant Animal Care Team. It is such an amazing feeling for the team to see them happily "galumphing" back home. Good luck little ones. Click here to watch a short video of their release.
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