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Welcome to our News Update for Autumn 2022, if you are visiting the Hunstanton SEA LIFE, don´t forget to purchase your entrance tickets in advance.
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Spooky Halloweeeeeeen Time!
Leaf Cutter Ants devour their Halloween treat.
Fascinating or do insects give you the creeps?
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The Animal Care Team gave the adorable Asian Short-Clawed Otters, Summer and Twix, a Halloween treat...despite all the tricks they play on the team! This mischievous pair searched their pumpkin for some yummie fish, prawns and red meat!
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The resident Humboldt Penguins joined in with Halloween...Going from House to House around their enclosure! Also fish pumpkin!
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Rescued Common Seal Pups for 2022
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Earlier in October we went to check on a seal colony in Norfolk. Click here to see larger versions of these photos taken during our walk along the dunes looking down on the seal colony.
We took a photo of a seal with Yellow ID tag number 63350. After contacting the Seal Group Research Trust, we found out that this grey seal was rescued and rehabilitated at the RSPCA´s East Winch Centre. The RSPCA named her Lillibet (Lilly), she was a juvenile 46kg seal who was entangled in nylon netting, she was admitted to the RSPCA´s centre earlier this year on the 15th of February and then released back into the wild on the 2nd of June at 54kg. As you can see another successful rescue, rehabilitate and release of a seal with net entanglement.
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The above and below photos were taken with a Canon 5D camera and a 14mm-400mm lens.
We were sad to see a few seals with nets. Click here to see larger versions of these photos.
Hunstanton SEA LIFE, British Divers Marine Life Rescue Medics (BDMLR), RSPCA East Winch and Friends of Horsey Seals receive calls about seal net and rope entanglements. The rescue teams make several attempts during the day to catch the seals without success. Each time they managed to escape into the sea along with the group it was with. If you ever visit a seal colony, you may see seals with old net entanglement injuries.
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A lot of entanglement happens when seals play and swim over, under and through floating rafts of old, discarded or storm damaged gear. The Cornwall Seal Group Research Trust works with BDMLR, Hunstanton SEA LIFE, Friends of Horsey Seals and Cornish Seal Sanctuary to help rescue and rehabilitate these individuals and raise awareness with members of the public about this issue, asking everyone to pick up any looped items from a beach to reduce this risk for seals and other marine creatures.
The Cornwall Seal Group Research Trust have published a paper showing how entanglement affects seal life expectancy. This is available to download, click here to read.
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| If you find a Seal in the Wild
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For over 33 years Hunstanton SEA LIFE has been rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing seal pups from the North Sea coastline and beyond that find themselves in trouble, whether it be eye problems, respiratory infections and malnourishment to broken bones, pollution-related problems and being separated from their mother too soon.
A quick reminder that if you discover a seal pup that is in distress or alone, please call the Hunstanton SEA LIFE on 01485 533576 and/or the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) team on 01825 765546.
The Animal Care Team are on call around the clock to race to the rescue of seal pups in trouble anywhere around the coast.
DO keep your distance;
DON´T attempt to handle or touch the pup;
DON´T attempt to put the pup back in the sea;
DON´T ignore the situation;
DO tell the appropriate organisation.
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When you ring, please be prepared to give an exact location of the seal, your contact details, what condition is the seal in for example is it alone, thin, injured or seems unwell (noisy breathing, coughing, runny nose). Tell people around you to keep clear of the seal by at least 50 metres, if you can, draw a circle in the sand around the pup.
Remember most often seals come out of the water on to land to rest, digest after eating their food, relax and sleep.
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What to do if you find a dead seal on beach!
If you come across a dead seal, the advice is not to touch or go near it, please call
West Norfolk council on 01553 616200.
If you find a stranded living marine animal, please call the SEA LIFE Sanctuary on 01485 533576 and/or the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) team on 01825 765546.
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Souvenir Guide Books
Here are the front covers of the Sanctuary´s Guide book.
If during your next visit you purchase a copy, the profits go towards the care of the rescued seal pups in the hospital.
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Click here to download Hunstanton SEA LIFE´s leaflet for 2022
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VIP Experience feeding the Resident Seals
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Did you know you can feed the six resident Common Harbour Seals at SEA LIFE Hunstanton?
In this VIP Experience, you will get to feed the seals their fishy feed with a member of the animal care team on hand to assist you and answer any questions you might have.
You´ll get to learn all about the seals, their diets and habitats but be careful they like to splash!
For more information please click here and to book your VIP Experience.
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This news update has been put together by volunteers/supporters of the Hunstanton SEA LIFE.
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