Update 1st December 2006

Magnus continues to improve on a weekly basis. He is still doing well, doing lots of splashing at feeding time for extra fish, his skin is looking good and his eyes are clear. Magnus is enjoying doing lots of swimming and rolling.

Fatima has been spending lots of time this week with Lizzie.

Lizzie is back to her kind self this week, and can be found hauled out on the side of the pool with the pups.

Sheba and Ray are still together, and can be found doing lots of hugging on the side of the pool.

Anneka is still pursuing Ray in the hope that he will leave Sheba for her. But Anneka will be in for some disappointment as Ray is loyal to Sheba.

Snoopy has been guarding the gate to nursery pool 2, and keeping an eye on her old dad. Snoopy is also being a little kinder to the pups this year and is more tolerant of them.

At the moment Marlin is a very round; this is because at feeding time, he is stealing fish from the pups in the convalescence pool.

Atlanta is also getting her fair share of the fish, and in true Attie style has started to moult out of season. Her new coat is a lovely silvery colour, and so she will have a new coat for Christmas.

Both Flotsam and Jetsam are back to target training this week, after a few months break and are doing really well. Little Ed is still as big as a house – so much so that we are considering changing his name to BIG ED. Little Ed has also been spending lots of time with his head in the water, his bottom in the air, waving his flippers about.

Yulelog and Flipper both have been back to training this week and are doing well. Flippers’ laziness has now gone and is back to swimming for his fish. Unfortunately he is not very quick and the sea gulls are stealing most of the fish – in return Flipper is stealing fish off of Yulelog.

Rocky has not been doing any barking this week and has been treated to conger eel and squid. Due to the cold and rainy weather, Pepper has been spending a lot of time in her cave. She is also on and off her food, and has a squint in her eye which she is receiving antibiotics for. Pepper has also taken a liking to the squid and now is very picky as to what she eats.

Carus may have to go on a diet as this week; he broke some of the rocks at the bottom of the pool, when he sat on them. He is also having his pool cleaned as the leaves are starting to fall quite heavy now, but Carus is enjoying swimming through them. He has been treated to conger eel and feed balls. Carus also expects the visitors to give him treats and conger eel, and when they don’t, he snorts at them.

Our Otters are having no more “lie-ins” this week and have both been very busy. The Animal Care Team (ACT) decided to add some new trees to their enclosure. Both Bamboo and Thai have taken the trees and removed all the branches and leaves. Bamboo has added some to the holt, making it nice and warm for bed time, and Thai has taken the leaves and put them in her daytime holt, to make it warmer.

Our Goats - Elvis has not been very well so the vet popped in this week to see him. He gave Elvis a full MOT, checking his heart, lungs and tummy. Elvis had a shot of antibiotics, multi vitamin jab, and had some blood taken. The ACT decided to take the Goats for a walk around the site this week. Churchill and Monty , who normally are too lazy to go had a burst of energy and wanted to go. Usually these two pull on the leads, so the ACT decided not to put them on the leads, but get them to walk along beside them. Churchill and Monty have a great time running around site, saying hello to all the seals.

Our ponies have not been out for their walk with the ACT as it is too windy. Bracken does not like the wind and will buck and rear if he has to go walking in it. Instead the ACT have opened up all the paddocks to give them more exercise, so now all three are running around the paddocks and loving it.

Reef, our cat, now has a fondness for fish especially mackerel and sardines, and does lots of meowing for more food. Reef also has a new profession as a cat burglar – as the ACT have to lock the fish prep-room, to stop greedy guts getting in.

THIS SEASON'S PUPS

Convalescence Pool
Roo, Koko, Magnet, Pebbles, Simba, Mutley, Penfold and Daisy: - Mutley was suffering from a swollen jaw earlier this week, and may have cracked a tooth. The swelling has now gone down and he is still feeding well, we have taken a blood sample. Simba and Koko are also putting on weight and will soon be ready for release. Daisy is doing well after last week’s introduction to the pool, and we get lots of comments from people asking about our blue seal. All the pups are continuing to do well and are getting their fair share at feeding time, so much so that all are having a sleep after lunch.

Nursery Pool
Ronnie, Narla and Gnasher are nearly ready to go into the convalescence pool, not sure how Narla will take to lots of pups and adult seals. Dory and Spongebob have been moved out of the hospital and down to the nursery pool; both were so scared that they headed straight into the cave. At feeding time both had to be herded out of the cave.

Hospital
Mowgli has now moved on to fish and is receiving two fish at each feed, this should help him put on weight more quickly. He has lost most of his white coat and will next week be put into water. Mowgli is still sucking his flippers, but he should grow out of this.

Eve has started on fish, but seems to be more interested in biting the ACT’s wellington boots. She has also been moved through to the main hospital.

Pilchard has this week been put into water, but still has a little bit of a cough. The cough will have to be cleared up before he can be moved down to the nursery pool.

Mowgli in the hospital - photo was taken on 1st December 2006 by Rachael VineEve in the hospital - photo was taken by Rachael Vine on 1st December 2006 Pilchard in the hospital - photo was taken by Rachael Vine on 1st December 2006
MowgliEvePilchard

New Arrivals this week
Pup Number Seventeen - On the 27th of November 2006 the sanctuary received a call from the BDMLR about a seal on the beach at Porthminister, after describing the condition over the phone; we decided that the pup needed to come back to the Sanctuary. While the ACT got isolation pen 2 ready and did all the other night feeds in the hospital, the BDMLR picked up the pup and brought it back to the Sanctuary. The pup arrived around 23.30 hours and a clinical assessment was carried out, the pup weighed 24.5 kilos, which is a good weight, but had a swallow hock and puncture wounds to the underside of its body, which were infected. The wounds were cleaned and the pup was given fluids, antibiotics, and anti inflammatories. The pup is a little boy and was in mid moult, putting its age at around 3 weeks. This pup has been called Pugwash.
Update: Pugwash has now been moved through to the main hospital, you can see from the photo below that he only has tufts of white fur left on his back.

Pup Number Eighteen - On Monday we received a call about a seal that was on the beach near Pothoustock. From the information we received the pup was quiet happy and going in and out of the water. We sent one of our volunteers down to take a look, and they reported that the pup was a good weight, we decided that at this point there was no need for concern, but we would monitor the pup. On Tuesday the pup was doing ok, and we decided we would continue to monitor it. On Wednesday (29th November 2006) the pup had hauled out and we were receiving more calls from concerned members of the public, so we sent a member of staff down to have a look. After monitoring it for a few hours, plus a phone call back to the Sanctuary, and a closer look which revealed wounds to both front and rear flippers, the Seal was brought back to the Sanctuary and put in to isolation 3 where a clinical assessment was done. This revealed lots of puncture wounds which were cleaned and treated, and ulcers to both eyes. The pup was given fluids and antibiotics, eye drops, and anti inflammatories. The pup is a little girl and weighed 21 kilos and is around 2 weeks old, she is in mid moult and has been named Pudey.

Pugwash in the hospital - photo was taken by Rachael VinePudey in the isolation pen - photo was taken on by Rachael Vine
PugwashPudey
Did you know that.....All our pups are up for adoption. Please check out our adoption page for more information.

Click here to go back to the Press Releases and Weekly Updates