Exhausted seal pup rescued after epic sea journey
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Seal
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An exhausted Harbor Seal pup floats in Tynes Bay after being pushed by currents from the United States to the shores of Bermuda. The seal was discovered by passing water truck drivers, rescued and taken to the Bermuda Aquarium and Zoo.
(Photo by Glenn Tucker) -
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Harbor Seal Pop rescued at Tynes Bay BAMZ employee Cameron Bridgewater helps to capture the seal by pushing it towards the beach at Tynes Bay in Devonshire.
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BAMZ employees Ryan Tacklyn and Steven Davis cast a net to lure the seal into shore to place it in a safety cage.
(Photo by Glenn Tucker)
A baby seal was clinging to life last night at the Aquarium after being found emaciated and exhausted off the Island's coast.
Bermuda Aquarium Museum and Zoo (BAMZ) curator Patrick Talbot said yesterday: “If it was in a hospital, her condition would be critical.
“I don't know how it found it's way here and I cannot imagine how long it took, but it's skin and bones.”
Mr Talbot said the young harbour seal was first spotted off the Island's west coast on Sunday.
“The animal was frail, small, so we assumed it was a seal pup or a very young seal.
“We weren't able to catch it then, so Monday morning we were just waiting for a call to come in, and it did.”
Yesterday, the seal was spotted again by water truck drivers near Tynes Bay and BAMZ staff were ready, sending out boats and a truck to help rescue the animal.
“We eventually managed to corral the animal at a beach. That was around noon,” Mr Talbot said.
While the animal is being treated and cared for at the aquarium, Mr Talbot said it was too early to say if the seal would fully recover.
He said the seal could have only recently been weaned by its mother, and it was only by fluke that it reached Bermuda from its natural habitat near New England.
“It's very uncommon for a seal to find its way here,” he said. “We've had three in the last two years reach the Island, and that's just good luck or bad luck, depending on how you look at it.
“The last one before that was in the 1800s. We're really an oasis in the desert. This one was so small and scrawny, it's amazing it wasn't eaten.”
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Published Apr 5, 2011 at 9:00 am (Updated Apr 5, 2011 at 9:05 am)