Badly injured seal pup moved 140 miles for sanctuary

A badly injured seal pup has been nursed back to health after a 140-mile journey to find sanctuary.

The days-old male common seal was discovered with head injuries at Llandudno, Conwy, on 12 August.

The pup, which has been named Zebedee, was taken to the Animal Rescue Centre at Kendal College, Cumbria, because all closer rescue centres were full.

Staff at the centre were unsure if he would survive when he arrived severely malnourished and dehydrated.

Marine biologist Sarah Neill, who is the Cumbria representative of British Divers Marine Life Rescue, gave up her holiday to care for Zebedee.

"He had a bite to the head, I'm not sure if it was from a dog or perhaps another seal so he had quite a large gash under his eye and puncture wounds to his head," she said.

"He also had an eye infection and he was very underweight."

The pup spent 11 days in intensive care being given rehydration fluids and antibiotics via a tube.

He was later tube-fed fish soup every couple of hours.

Eventually, Zebedee became more active and alert and started to bask on his side.

As his injuries improved he was weaned off soup and encouraged to eat whole fish.

"Getting him to eat by himself was a really messy task as he didn't know what to do at first but thankfully he picked it up," Ms Neill said.

He has now been transferred to the RSPCA Stapeley Grange Wildlife Hospital in Nantwich, Cheshire, where he will stay until he is fully recovered.

He is expected to be released off the coast of Wales coast next Spring.

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