Onwards and pup-wards for “feisty” rescued seal

Thursday 18 April 2019

A “feisty” seal pup is to be released back into the wild, having gone from the brink of starvation when he was rescued from Jersey’s coastline to now looking “like a fat sausage".

But Marty McSeal - as the pup was named - won’t need the DeLorean to get back to where he’s headed, as a Jersey family will be providing the transport for his release back into the wild tomorrow at Les Écréhous.

After several months of care from the Guernsey Animals’ Shelter (GSPCA), Marty has recovered from a serious respiratory infection and a cough that he was suffering when he was found stranded on Green Island beach in December after a storm.

Previously underweight and very poorly, Marty has now been given the go-ahead from Vet and GSPCA President John Knight to be released back to his home in the waters around Jersey.

Pictured: The "feisty" seal pup has made a full recovery and is due to be released back into the wild tomorrow.

Now weighing in at 51kg, having gained 33kg whilst in the GSPCA’s care, the “feisty” seal pup has been deemed ready to fend for himself in the wild.

The GSPCA have said that caring for six seal pups is “the busiest [the Shelter] has ever been looking after what were all starving animals close to death when they were first rescued” and that they “are delighted” that Marty is “the first… ready to be returned to the wild".

Whilst at the Shelter, Marty joined another younger pup found stranded in Jersey who was later named Andrew who is also on the road to recovery after being found severely malnourished and abandoned by his mother.

Pictured: Marty was found stranded on Green Island beach after a storm.

Marty and Andrew were just two of the seal pup group receiving care from the Shelter as Hannah, Mambo, Sealia and Gully were also rescued from Guernsey’s coastline.

With plans for Marty to travel with a Jersey family to Les Écréhous tomorrow, GSPCA Manager Steve Byrne said of the seal pup: “When he first arrived he was almost a third to a quarter of the body weight he should have been and now after months of care he looks like a fat sausage so he is ready for the wild. 

“We have to thank all that have donated to his and the other five seal pups’ care and we hope to return some of the Guernsey pups to the wild very soon.”

Pictured: The seal pup reportedly looks "like a fat sausage" after receiving care from the GSPCA.

The fact that the Shelter’s resources have been stretched so thin by the onslaught of stranded seal pups has prompted them to begin fundraising for a new Wildlife Hospital.