Avalanche, Glacier, and Frosty have all been released back into the wild after spending time in intensive care at the GSPCA.
The three wintry named seal pups were all rescued in December or January so have only been with the GSPCA for a maximum of three months but each has gained enough weight to be allowed back into the wild.
Geoff George, the Head of Marine Mammals at the animal charity said the trio made their way into the sea at Portelet just after 10:30 on Saturday morning.
“Avalanche, Glacier and Frosty have each had their own challenges during their rehabilitation, but they’ve been an absolute joy to care for,” he said.
“We prepared a special ramp from the temporary rehab pool to help with boxing them for transport, and it worked brilliantly—we had all three pups safely into their travel kennels in record time.
“Watching them head back into the sea today was incredibly rewarding. They were calm, confident and behaved exactly as healthy seals should.
“I’m extremely proud of how far they’ve come and grateful to everyone who supports the work we do.”
Mr George is supported in his hands on work with the seal pups by Danni Brouard. Saturday’s release saw Ambulance Driver Luke Roussell and Animal Care Assistant Katie Holloway help too, said the GSPCA’s Manager Steve Byrne.
“(This) has been a fantastic moment for the GSPCA team,” he said.
“The care Geoff provides to these pups is truly exceptional, and it’s thanks to his dedication—along with the support of our incredible staff, volunteers, and the public—that we’re able to give seal pups like Avalanche, Glacier, and Frosty a second chance at life in the wild.
“As we celebrate this release, we are also continuing work on our new Wildlife Hospital as part of the #GSPCABiggestBuildAppeal. We are now at the halfway stage of both the build and the fundraising, and we still need the community’s support to help us complete this vital facility. Every donation helps us continue caring for wildlife in need, from seal pups to hedgehogs and everything in between.”
The three pups released on Saturday morning had each reached a healthy weight of more than 50kg – with each described as being around a quarter of that size when they had been rescued over the winter.
Frosty and Glacier were rescued in December, along with Blizzard who remains in the care of the GSPCA.
Avalanche was rescued in January, along with Icicle, Iceberg Lettuce, and Ice Ice Baby, who are also still at the animal shelter.
In total, of the total number of seal pups helped by the GSPCA over the past 14 years, 48 have been released back in to the wild.
The four seal pups still in the charity’s care are gaining strength and will soon be moved into a larger rehabilitation pool where they will complete their final stages of care before being released.