Some months ago, a couple was being shown around the tent which at that time was being used as an emergency rehabilitation area. It was very windy, the tent-opening was flapping and the woman remarked that this really did not allow the seals any rest. When she was told that the SRRC would love to do things differently, but that at the moment there was no money to spare, she offered to pay for the build of a couple of real rehabilitation units.
With that, a period of thorough preparation started with many meetings and much thought. The firm Jarino from Assen was willing to go to the limits as far as price, to make the build of eight new quarantine units possible.
And today, Wednesday December 3rd, the time had come: the eight units, which in the previous weeks had been built in the Jarino assembly hall in Groningen, were able to be transported to their destination in Pieterburen.
Thanks to transport and crane company Wagenborg Nedlift’s help, the project was executed with a number of lorries and an enormous 60 ton crane.
The quarantine units arrive just in time. At this moment an alarming situation is taking place: in the last two weeks over thirty sick common seals have been brought in to the SRRC. All animals are suffering from a bad case of lungworm infection, which damages the lungs, causes inflammation and, ultimately, death. This parasite is a normal ‘paediatric disease’ for the common seal, which should remain under control by the seal’s own immune system, but now is able to spread insidiously because of weakened immune systems, possibly due to pollution. The animals can be cared for optimally in the new units.
12-03-2008 Source: SRRC Lenie 't Hart
