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SRRC saves first baby grey seal ‘Southwester’

SouthwesterToday, this year’s first baby grey seal has been brought to the SRRC for rehabilitation. The pup, with its beautiful white baby fur, was found motherless on the Terschelling beach by our seal first aider, Hessel Wiegman. The seal has presumably been washed off the sandbank during the recent storm and has so lost its mother. The SRRC employees have given the seal the suitable name ‘Southwester’. The seal baby was immediately taken to the SRRC where he will now be given the necessary care. Of course, everybody is welcome to come and visit Southwester in Pieterburen.

SouthwesterEvery year around this time, the first baby grey seals are born between Vlieland and Terschelling on the Engelsehoek ridge. A group of five baby seals had already been spotted on the sandbank. Because of their beautiful white baby fur, the young seals are unable to swim during the first three weeks of their lives. Grey seals have their young on sandbanks that stay permanently dry in the winter. The babies are nursed on the sandbanks until they moult and are able to seek out their own adventures. If, however, they are washed off the sandbank in those first vulnerable weeks by storms or high tides, they face great danger. The animals will drown or wash ashore in critically weakened state.

Lenie ‘t Hart and her employees are keeping their fingers crossed for mild weather during the next couple of weeks. Lenie: “Of course we are going to do everything possible to give Southwester a good chance. I am, however, very worried, because this is the beginning of a new birth season for the grey seal. Two years ago, we were brought 70 grey seal babies in one week due to a heavy storm! Just think what this is going to cost us in fish and medicines. And we already have too little money and rehabilitation space. At the moment we have three times as many common seals as is normal for this time of year. We hope that there are lots of animal lovers who will support us in the months to come with a(n extra) donation. We can’t leave these seal babies to fend for themselves now can we?

11-23-2009 Source: SRRC Lenie 't Hart

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