SOS logo S.O.S. Update National Seal Sanctuary
Issue 60
17th August 2011

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Looking back over the busy Summer!
WDCS Walk for Whales
The Sanctuary Team and dedicated members of the public all completed the WDCS five mile Walk for Whales on the 10th July 2011.

The weather stayed warm and dry (which was a bonus!) and the walkers followed the beautiful bridal ways trail, starting and finishing at the Sanctuary, the walk raised £560 for WDCS.

A special mention to the walker who completed the 5 miles on crutches!
WDCS Walk for Whales
Releases and Rescues
Following the last release the Animal Care Team were looking forward to a short break before the start of the next rescue season, so imaging their surprise when not one, but two seal pups ended up in the Seal Hospital in July!

Click on this link to read Humble and Dibnah´s stories.

Humble (photo below left) and Dibnah (photo below right) are progressing well and are now in the outside nursery pools.
Humble and Dibnah
Poorly Penguin
Animal Care staff Amy and Dan sprung into action recently when Lola (photo below), one of our Humboldt Penguins, fell ill.

Amy rushed Lola to our local vets where she had an x-ray which showed she had swallowed what appeared to be a hair clip. Lola was rushed into surgery where the hair clip was successfully removed; Lola is well on the road to recovery and is receiving lots of TLC from the Animal Care Team.

Humboldt Penguins are notorious for eating everything, leaves, feathers etc!

The Animal Care Team meticulously check the enclosure morning, evening and during every feed and we do ask all visitors to be careful when overlooking the enclosure and to let a member of the team know if they notice anything unusual in the exhibit.
Lola
Mark's Ark
During August the Sanctuary has welcomed some unusual but very popular visitors.

Mark and his amazing animals visited on the 4th & 11th and will be back again on the 25th August.

Visitors to the Sanctuary have been able to get up close and personal with a host of unusual and beautiful creatures including a very large python, vulture and skunk!
Mark's Ark
Beach Litter Art
Visit the Seal Academy to see a very unusual art exhibition. All the works produced by artist Jane Rose MA are made entirely from litter she has found washed up on the shores.

Passionate about beach combing every trip she makes along the coast reveals a wealth of discarded objects many having travelled many miles even as far away as America.

Make sure your litter doesn´t end up as part of Jane´s exhibitions; remember to take home your rubbish after you have visited the beach.

Why not adopt a beach local to you or help the team at the Sanctuary with their regular beach cleans. More information can be found by visiting the Sanctuary´s website or www.mcsuk.org. Animal Care Team member Jenna Blacow (photo below) is looking at the artwork.
Beach Litter Art
Pretty in Paddocks!
Patrick and Flo have been sheared and look very smart (or so we thought), however, the goats had other ideas!

When Patrick and Flo returned to the paddock they share with the goats, Andrew and Steve, the goats took one look at the sheep´s sheared coats and bolted, obviously Andrew and Steve weren´t keen on their new haircuts!

If you go down to the woods today...you might come across our goats who have been enjoying a daily stroll through the woodlands with our Animal Care Team.

Please stop and say hello to our paddock animals, Stanley the sheep loves to meet our visitors, all of these animals are rescued animals and will be with us for the rest of their lives.
Pretty in Paddocks!
Spa Treatments
Spa treatments for Convalescent Pool residents - Ray, Attie and Snoopy have all received manicures and the residents of the Convalescent Pool have been weighed, that is all but
Sheba (photo below), who was too shy to step on the scales.
Sheba
Californian Dreaming
Sea Lions have been enjoying a few lazy mornings, Noito (photo below) has been even heard snoring the morning away.

The team have had to wake them up for their first feed which is unheard of!
Californian Dreaming

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