A couple of weeks ago, the WWF broadcast the news that there were problems with seals in the Baltic Sea. Due to the changing climate, the ice has started melting very early, which is causing problems for the endangered ringed seal and the even rarer Ladoga seal. These seals have their young on the ice. The zoo in St Petersburg sent out a cry for help: For the first time a couple of young, motherless seals had been brought in for rehabilitation. Seal carer André van Gemmert immediately travelled to Russia to help the very enthusiastic workers of the zoo to save the animals.
The news apparently spread, because now there are already ten young seals in rehabilitation: Two Lagoda seals, a number of ringed seals and a couple of other seals. The Lagoda seals are being kept separate from the other seals, because this species of seal comes from Lake Lagoda, which is not connected to the Baltic sea.
Seal carer Richard Dijkema has now taken André’s place in Russia. With the help of the Dutch consulate in St Petersburg, we are looking at what kind of assistance we are able to offer in order to build a small rehabilitation station along the coast. It is fantastic that all over the world there are people who care for the individual. It is only like this - by saving a couple of seals - that an abstract concept such as ‘a population’ becomes an understanding.
04-26-2008 Source: SRRC Lenie 't Hart
