In the last days, a couple of lost seal babies have already been found on the Wadden Islands and along the coast. They are mostly premature pups. You can tell this by their white baby fur. Thursday evening, a baby was picked up at the Lauwersoog lock, and this weekend reports started coming in of crying baby seals along the Wadden Sea coast.
Lenie had been warned earlier this week about a lone baby seal, lying behind the Dollard dyke. She was able to pick it up without much trouble. Meanwhile, it has been given a place at the SRRC and has already started recovering.
On Saturday morning, a report came in from the police: A fisherman had found a baby seal along the dyke at Uithuizen. Lenie went there immediately and met the fisherman on the dyke. He had slung the baby seal over his arm and was cycling with it towards the arranged meeting point at the main gate. The young seal was given a couple of bottles of ORS (a liquid with salts and sugars to prevent nursing baby seals from dehydration) and was quickly taken to the SRRC. She was so tired that she fell asleep on Lenie’s lap on the way back. She slept all the way to Pieterburen. There, the animal was immediately put in quarantine, where she will be able to rest some more.
A second baby seal was found in Vlieland today. A speed boat took it to Harlingen where the seal-ambulance was ready waiting to take it to Pieterburen.
Around seven o’ clock, Lenie accompanied Enno, one of our volunteers, to check on the Dollard. A couple from Termunten warned them that they had seen a baby seal lying alone in the mud. Enno trudged over there and so saved the third seal of the day.
And, at the very last moment, a report came in that Hessel Wiegman, our Terschelling man, had also found a baby. Our ambulance went to Harlingen once more. In total, there are now 19 baby seals at the SRRC in Pieterburen.
Therefore, we ask everyone who visits the coast: Look out for motherless baby seals. Mother seals are very caring and never abandon their babies. When you see a baby seal by itself, therefore, something is most certainly amiss. In that case, call 0595 526 526. You could be saving a seal’s life.
06-14-2009 Source: SRRC Lenie 't Hart
