The turbulent weather with its heavy downpours and thunderstorms, along with vast differences in water levels, has caused many baby seals to wash up along the Dutch coasts in the last couple of weeks. Disruption, panic and strong currents cause mothers to become separated from their young. Mother seals take excellent care of their young; they will always follow their young and they will sometimes continue searching for days after they have lost their baby. The sad thing is that the seal’s milk supply dries up after 24 to 48 hours of not nursing her young. Even if mother and young are then reunited, which is rare, she will not be able to do anything for her baby.
At the moment we have 66 orphaned seals at the SRRC. Compared to the 28 baby seals that were found during the same period last year, 29 in 2005 and 36 in 2004, this is a lot. Luckily, these seals have a good chance of survival: Only the fighters were able to make it to the shore where they washed up and were found. This happened on a number of Wadden islands, including Terschelling and Ameland, but also along the Frisian coast (for instance near Sexbierum) and in Groningen (near the Eemscentrale power stration, in the harbour of Delfzijl and in the Dollard).
However, on a happier note: People who would like to adopt a baby seal, now is your chance. You can find information on how to go about this on ‘adoption possibilities’.
07-09-2007 Source: SRRC Lenie 't Hart
