GSPCA releases two seal pups back into the wild

Eliza was rescued after being beached in Jersey back in November, and Maverick was the first seal rescued in 2022, when she was found near Les Pecqueries in April.

Both seals weighed just 16kg when they were rescued, and on their release at Portelet, both were at a healthy weight of 45kg.

‘They were both very ill when they came to us – both were extremely underweight and dehydrated, and both had chest infection,’ said GSPCA head of marine mammals Geoff George.

‘There is a lot of work that goes into saving a seal pup’s life and it is always fantastic when we can get them back to the wild.’

Eliza was unsure of returning to the wild at first, so spent more time in the shallow water, while Maverick seemed more sure of herself and was soon back out at sea.

‘Every seal release is unique and different – knowing how they are going to react is really difficult,’ said GSPCA manager Steve Byrne.

‘Eliza has not seen the sea since she was a baby at about two weeks old, so this is all very new to her.’

Restoring the seals to health had not been an easy journey and Mr George said that initially the pups had been fed every three hours through a feeding tube for about a month.

‘They should have been 40kg at that age but they were 16kg, which is not far off their birth weight of 12kg.

‘Maverick was in a lot of trouble – we nearly lost her three or four times.

‘She’s been a real fighter.’

Three seals have already been released this year and two remain in the care of the GSPCA.

In the last 10 years, 23 seal pups have been returned to local waters by the shelter.

‘We absolutely love when we get wildlife back to where they belong and it is always a magical sight,’ Mr Byrne added.

If you see a seal pup or would like to make a donation to support the GSPCA and its planned Wildlife Hospital, visit www.gspca.org.gg or call 257261.