On Wednesday evening, Ameland’s vet Heeres Schols and a number of seal first-aiders and SRRC-workers helped a seal in labour to give birth to a healthy baby daughter. We named her Afke.
Ameland’s seal first-aider Dirk Visser received news of a seal on the beach and when he went to check up on it, he realised that the seal was in labour. However, she obviously was experiencing great difficulties, because she was taking an unusually long time. Dirk did not trust the situation and contacted the SRRC. When it became clear that the animal needed help, four SRRC-workers hurried to Holwerd from where they were speedily taken to Ameland in the Tornado. A helpful tourist drove them to the beach where the seal was in labour.
Decisions were made to transport the seal mother to the SRRC. However, when vet Schols saw that the pup was still alive, they immediately started proceedings for the delivery on a terrain belonging to the Department of Waterways and Public Works. The birth advanced with difficulty because the young lay in a breech position. However, a short time later the young – still carrying its lanugo (embryo) fur - was born. Mother and child have been taken to the SRRC for aftercare. The birth has been especially hard on the mother.
As far as we know, this is the first time anywhere in the world that a wild seal has received help during labour. Without help, this mother and baby would certainly have died.
06-06-2007 Source: SRRC Lenie 't Hart
