Common
Pup Uplift For Montrose Team
19th December
I
Received a phone call from Jim Walkins, my father, who said that
he had come across a small seal pup on the beach at St. Cyrus. I
said I would attend with Paul Horne (medic) and check the pup out.
We arrived there at 10.40am and found a small common pup on a sand
bank which was fast disappearing with the incoming tide. We checked
the pup and found that it had good body weight but breathing was
heavy and laboured. There was a sign of blood within the nostrils
and there looked to be an old wound on it's back.
I phoned Elaine Roft, our Co-ordinator and told he what we had found,
I explained that as we were in danger of being cut off with a fast
in-coming tide and as we had nothing with us to uplift the pup (we
had been out walking with the dogs when I received the phone call),
we would leave the seal and monitor from the beach. We waded through
the channel and went on to the sand where we waited to see what
the pup would do when the bank became submerged.
I again updated Elaine and waited for 1/2 hour until the tide came
in. The pup swam across the channel of water and headed up onto
the beach.
Paul decided to go and get the vari-kennel and our seal bag. I waited
with the pup who appeared content but was still breathing eratically.
Respiration at this time was 26 per minute. The pup was visibly
shivering and I noticed a small fresh wound underneath the top of
the right front flipper, there was also drops of blood on the sand
from the pup's nose. I again updated Elaine who said she would contact
Middlebank and book a pen, she would also try to arrange a relay.
Paul arrived at 12.15 and straddled the pup whilst I took its temperature
(37.6) and sexed the pup, which was 
male.
[click on image to enlarge]
We got the pup into the kennel and then the fun began. I am on crutches
(having had a bad fall in September, seal watching) and the question
was how to carry the seal back to the car some 3/4ml away. Of course,
there is never any one around when you need them, the beach was
deserted, so we set off at an extremely slow pace. Elaine phoned
and asked how things were going, I told her we were struggling but
would manage in time. She suggested we wait and she would come down
to help, but I felt, that as we had already been on the beach for
some 2 hours (we were freezing) and that the seal was not for settling
down in the kennel (he was becoming quite stressed and banging it's
head on the front of the kennel) it would be better for us to carry
on and get the pup back to the car as soon as possible rather than
stand about waiting for some-one to come. It took us 3/4 hour to
limp back to the boardwalk where we met a man who offered to help
carry the kennel the last few yards. (I was so grateful I could
have kissed him). Unfortunately Paul had gone back to fetch the
car and had took my crutches with him. Sorry, can't spell the expletives
I came out with).
Took the pup back to our house and left him in the car to rest and
settle down. Respiration at this time was 17 per min.
Sat on the settee nursing an extremely sore leg I phoned Elaine
who said at that time there was no-one to do a relay. Paul felt
that, rather than wait around to find volunteers to help out, he
would pick up Peter Taylor (medic) and take the pup to Middlebank
himself.
Paul left at 1.45 pm to pick up Peter whilst I settled down with
an abundance of painkillers.
At Middlebank the pup weighed in at 16.8kgs and was named Jaguar,
Ref number 2522
Thanks to Sue Horne (Volunteer), Jim Walkins (Volunteer), Medics
Paul Horne & Willie Taylor, Our Co-ordinator Elaine Roft, Sue
White (BDMLR Head Office), Medic Thom Mcneil (Montrose group) and
Medic Donna Sutherland (Tayforth) both of whom had called in to
offer to assist with a relay - sorry folks but the pup was well
on its way when you called in - hopefully you can assist with the
next one
Sue Horne
Volunteer
Montrose / Arbroath Group
Badly
injured seal pup rescued at Booby’s Bay, Cornwall
15th December 2006.
[ click on images
to enlarge. Pic by Dave Jarvis/Lisa Clarke ]
Around 11am, Cornwall
Coordinator Dave Jarvis received a call from BDMLR National Coordinator
Trevor Weeks at Head Office regarding what had apparently been identified
as a whitecoat seal pup about 2ft long at Booby’s Bay, near
Trevose Head. As luck would have it, Dave was actually working at
Rock, just the other side of the estuary from nearby Padstow. Trevor
advised that he would call out a couple of local Medics, whilst
Dave called the National Seal Sanctuary at Gweek to advise them
of the situation. Gweek told Dave that they were aware of the seal
and had a member of the public making a sign to keep people away.
Approximately 20mins
later, Dave had a call from Medic Susie Ray, who was first on scene,
to advise that the seal was in fact fully moulted, had blood coming
from its mouth and was in a precarious position given the high and
incoming tide. Dave instructed Susie, who was accompanied by her
friend Rob, to remove the seal from the beach and transport it to
a safer location where it could be safely examined and then immediately
set out for the site. En route, Dave had a call from Assistant Area
Coordinator Jenny Haley to let him know that she had also received
a call from Duchy Vets in Newquay, who are her employers, regarding
the same animal and that she was already on her way with Medic Lisa
Clarke.
Dave,
Jenny and Lisa all arrived at the scene at about the same time to
meet Susie and Rob, who had brought the seal from off the rocks
and up to the lane above. Lisa was given the opportunity the seal
whilst veterinary nurse Jenny carried out and assessment of its
condition. It appeared slightly underweight with a temperature of
37.6C, a few bite wounds to its rear flipper area, but most concerning
was the blood and mucous that was exuding from both its mouth and
nose together with inflamed gums, which Jenny interpreted as a mouth
ulcer at the time.
At the same time Susie
took Dave back down to where the pup had been & although the
tide had now turned, it was still obvious that the correct course
of action had been taken, since the rock the animal had been on
was still being buffeted by strong waves.
Following several
telephone calls, Dave and Jenny described the animal’s 
condition
to BDMLR Veterinary Consultant James Barnett, who instructed that
it should be taken to Duchy Vets for them to carry out a detailed
examination of the animal and treat injuries. So the vehicles set
off in convoy for Newquay and upon arrival the animal was given
a full examination by experienced veterinary surgeon Mike King and
during the course of this x-rays revealed that the pup had suffered
a broken jaw, fractured cheek bones and a subsequent check also
discovered that it had a severe infection of the sinuses. Mike contacted
James to advise him of the animal’s condition, and whilst
the animal was to be held overnight at Duchy Vets, consideration
was given as to whether it should be transported to either RSPCA
Hospital West Hatch in Somerset, or the Seal Sanctuary.
Dave Jarvis
Cornwall Coordinator
South East
Cornwall Coordinator gets to grips with seal pup
14th December 2006.
Around 10:30am, Medic
Lesley Jarvis took a call from the National Seal Sanctuary to advise
that a pup had been observed at Portwrinkle, Whitsand Bay. Lesley
then contacted Cornwall Coordinator (and husband) Dave Jarvis who
was meeting Sue Sayer (Cornwall Seal Group), Dr Ruth Leeney (Combined
Universities in Cornwall) 
and
two project students, Cheryl and James, regarding their forthcoming
thesis work on marine mammals. Dave immediately contacted South
East Cornwall Assistant Coordinator Darryl Thorpe, who proceeded
to the site. En route, Dave and Lesley picked up Dan Jarvis to administer
fluids to the pup. [click on pic to enlarge.Pic
by Dan Jarvis]
Darryl located the pup and met up with the
others as soon as they arrived to show them where it was. The pup
was fully moulted and obviously in poor nutritional condition –
estimated at 14kg. Darryl jumped the pup, which didn’t put
up much resistance, so Dan could give the pup a health check. It
was found to be a male with a temperature of 39.3C and a couple
of minor bite wounds to the rear flippers. As the pup was dehydrated,
Darryl and Dan tube fed the seal while Dave and Lesley contacted
the Sanctuary and readied equipment to remove the pup from the beach.
The pup was expertly relocated by Darryl into
the awaiting seal bag and carried back up to where the cars were
parked to be transported by Dave and Lesley for rehabilitation.
Dave Jarvis
Cornwall Coordinator
Dead
Whale washed up on East Yorkshire Beach
17th
December 06
Received a call from Bev Drayton on Sunday
morning to say she’d had a report of a large (approx 45ft)
whale washed up at Spurn Point. Although in a state of decomposition
it was agreed we’d send medics to take a look and fill in
the relevant forms, make an ID etc. Apparently it had washed up
the day before but BDMLR had not been contacted (we were having
our Humber/North Yorkshire BDMLR meeting at the time so there’d
have been plenty of us to attend!).
Both Joel Taylor and Adele Sheppard attended,
and met up with Phil Young of the Environmental Agency and Andrew
Gibson, Spurn Reserves Officer.
It was identified initially as a Fin whale
but consensus changed to that of a Sei whale. A more definite ID
will hopefully be made when the pictures arrive. Either way, it
had been dead for some time and was to be removed shortly, with
fear of it drifting into the fishing lanes.
Many thanks again to Joel and Freddie Taylor,
and Adele Sheppard for attending.
Alan Stewart
Regional Coordinator – Humber
Acting Coordinator – North Yorkshire
Further report
Arrived at Spurn Point at 13:50 and spoke to
Andrew Gibson, the warden. Met up with fellow medic, Joel Taylor,
who had already taken many pictures (to be published shortly).
The whale was approximately 15-18 m in length
and well decomposed with no visible skin on the jaw bones and fins.
It was difficult to identify because of the advanced stages of decomposition
but suspected a Sei whale although this could not be confirmed at
this time.
The carcass was left on the beach at this time
with the authorities deciding what to do with it.
Adele Sheppard
BDMLR
Marine Mammal Medic - Humber
Pup
Rescue - Sandend, Scotland by Andy Ireland
17th December
At 1400 I received
a call from Mr Stuart Ingram (Member of Public) to advise me of
a seal pup that had been lying on the beach, rather high and between
some rocks. He described the pup as small (One and a half feet),
thin and not in a pleasant state. I contacted the team and Stacey
Esson (Buchan Medic) advised that she was available to help. We
(Stacey and I) departed Peterhead at 1445 and headed off to Sandend.
Mark Stevens (BDMLR On Call) was informed that we were on route
to a seal.
On arrival we were
met by my Ingram who had waited with the pup all afternoon and had
also to chase away a few dogs that were hanging around within the
vicinity of our pup. After a quick inspection of the pup and a full
brief on the condition of the pup by Mr Ingram we took the temperature
which was at 36.5 and had relatively bad case of the runs. The pup
was small and thin so we decided that the best course of action
was to uplift for relay to Grampian wildlife Trust in New Deer.
The pup was uplifted, a pen was booked at GWT and the seal transported
there for rehabilitation.
Thanks must go to
Mr Stuart Ingram (MOP), Andy Ireland (Buchan Coordinator), Stacey
Esson (Buchan Medic), Lawrence Brain (Grampian Wildlife Trust) and
Mark Stevens (BDMLR On Call).
24th December –
Seal has passed away during the night despite continual care and
‘fattening up’ at GWT.
Andy Ireland
Buchan Regional Coordinator
British Divers Marine Life Rescue
Storm injured
pup rescued from precarious position, Cornwall
9th December 2006.
Late in the afternoon, around 4:30pm, local
RSPCA Animal Collection Officer Felicity Cross contacted BDMLR Coordinator
Dave Jarvis about a seal pup ‘covered in blood’ by Little
Fistral Beach, Newquay. Dave in turn contacted Assistant Coordinator
Jenny Haley before heading out to the site with Medics Lesley and
Dan Jarvis.
Jenny was first on the scene and met up with
the caller, Will Keegan, and his friend who showed her where the
pup was – about 20ft above the sea at the back of a small
headland, known as Towan Head. The pup was nestled between two large
boulders, but blood could be seen around the nose and mouth corresponding
with a large deep wound on the underside of the lower jaw, while
further superficial injuries were noticed on the rear flippers.
Dave, Lesley and Dan arrived shortly afterwards,
followed by Medics Rebecca Allen, Nicola Fuszard and Ralph Barber.
As the area was dark and dangerous, only Dan went across the narrow
path to the boulders where Jenny, the callers and seal were to help
remove it from the precarious position it had found itself in. The
others on the safe side of the headland assisted by shining torches
on the area. After shooing the pup into a slightly more open area,
Jenny was able to jump the grumpy and vicious pup so Dan could give
it a good check over, finding bite wounds on the foreflippers and
a couple more with associated swellings and pus on the rear flippers.
After consulting with Senior Animal Care Assistant Tamara Cooper
of the National Seal Sanctuary, it was decided that the pup needed
to come in for treatment. Jenny and Dan got the pup into the seal
bag and carried the seal back across the ledge to the main path
where the others were waiting.
Once safely back in the car park, the pup was
jumped by Rebecca so that Jenny and Nicola could tube feed it rehydration
fluids before the journey. During this process, it was decided to
name the pup ‘Taz’ on account of its behaviour! Ralph
and Dave then put the seal in the car, whereupon it was taken to
the Sanctuary.
Dave Jarvis
Cornwall Coordinator
Busy
Weekend for East Yorkshire Medics !
Typical – I go away for two weeks and nothing
happens, come back tired, incredibly jet lagged and the next day
the first of what would ultimately be four seal calls comes in.
Please see below for the medics’ accounts.
Huge thanks to them all (Joel and Freddie Taylor,
Dianne and Cath Davies, Dean Robson) for their continued dedication,
to Helen at SeaLife for taking them in (the seals, not the medics)
and for her expertise, and special thanks to Fay Archell for help
in coordinating and keeping me sane (ish) by still having a sense
of humour when things got manic (she thinks she’s funny anyway
;-) ).
Alan Stewart
Regional Coordinator – Humber
Acting Regional Coordinator – North Yorkshire
Saturday 9th - Grey Seal Pup Rescue –
Bridlington
Freddie and Joel Taylor
As our daughter Lucy had just reached the finishing
line of a regional running competition, we received the message
that two poorly seal pups had been reported in Filey and in Bridlington.
We quickly clapped the winner and rushed home, grabbed the kennel
and arrived to Bridlington beach 2 hrs later, while Dianne and Kath,
two more Humber area volunteers, aimed for Filey.
It was a gorgeous sunny day and the bay was beautiful.
Whilst searching the beach, we received a report that the seal was
dead. We continued to search and spotted a couple of people bent
over an object in the distance. As we approached we were elated
to see the back flippers wagging and found her looked after by a
lady who had rang the Coast Guard earlier that morning. "Bridly"
(as we called the pup) appeared a bit shivery, injured in one eye
and looked slightly underweight. She reacted when approached but
then calmed down and looked dozy. The lady had been there for a
while mainly concerned by the many dogs that are walked on that
beach and by the stillness of the pup.
We spent a few hours observing and assessing the
pup and finally decided to take her to the Scarborough Sea life
Centre as the beach was not a safe place to leave her. Joel successfully
'jumped' his first seal in front of a, by then, rather crowded public!
The kennel was very handy indeed (thank you Alan) and the whole
process was smooth and the pup was ok. At the Sealife Centre the
pup from Filey was already being taken care of. Bridly appeared
well, slighltly underweight and exhausted.. A weaned grey female
pup of approx 4-6 weeks, fierce but very tired.. We rang the Centre
on Monday and she is now doing well, eating fish and hopefully she
will be released back to the wild shortly.
Many thanks to all the members of the public who rang and cared
for the pup while we were on our way. Thanks to the Sealife centre
in Scarborough and to our daughter Lucy and her friend Stacy who
were ready to celebrate Lucy's birthday at the cinema but found
themselves wizzed off on a rescue, although they thoroughly enjoyed
the experience. Lucy is also proving a dab hand with the digital
camera.
Saturday
9th - Grey Seal Pup Rescue – Filey
Dianne and Cath Davies
After the recent stormy weather it was inevitable
that the casualties would start to hit the beaches, so I wasn’t
surprised to get a call out on Saturday morning, but two seals simultaneously?
With Catherine and I the only medics available to respond immediately,
we said we’d head for the nearest first and see what happened.
While we were heading for Bridlington and discussing the logistics
of attempting to lift and transport two seals from different locations
(one in the tailgate and one on the back seat?) we had a message
to say Freddie and Joel would be able to respond in an hour or so,
so I contacted Freddie and asked her if they could take the Bridlington
call and we’d carry on to the seal at Filey, which was further
but as we were already on the road it seemed the sensible thing
to do. She agreed, so we carried on to Filey and our first Grey
of the season.
We had the phone number of the fisherman who’d
made the initial call and was very worried about the pup so Catherine
rang him with an ETA while I drove; he was very pessimistic about
the pup’s chances when she told him an hour and a half, but
it was the best we could offer. Once we reached Filey, she rang
him again and he “talked us through” the town and onto
the beach (yes, literally – it was low tide, the sand was
hard and dry and we drove right across to the Brigg where our casualty
lay!)
At first I thought we were too late, and the fisherman and off-duty
coastguards who were keeping the public and their numerous dogs
away said it had just died, but we noticed slight movements of its
flanks as it lay on its side against the rocks so Catherine checked
it out and said it was still breathing and she could feel a pulse.
I rang Helen at Scarborough Sea Life Centre, told her the seal was
critical and she said to bring it in right away. Catherine picked
it up – it made no resistance but at last opened its eyes
– put it in the car and we drove off for Scarborough.
Helen had a pen in
the seal hospital ready and waiting so he was checked in immediately,
and not a moment too soon : he was severely hypothermic –
his temperature was too low to register on the thermometer –
so the heat lamp was switched on, and he was underweight (40 inches
long but only 13.5 kg) and inevitably dehydrated. His breathing
was shallow and wheezy, and just after we got him into the hospital
pen he started to cough violently and we all thought we were losing
him, but he suddenly coughed up a large amount of phlegm and general
rubbish (but no sign of any blood) and seemed to feel a bit better
for having got that lot off his chest! His nose and eyes were runny
and he was also covered with superficial cuts and abrasions on his
body and flippers, many of them infected, plus two small abscesses
on his back. Helen tubed him, gave him multivitamins and glucose
and then put him on an IV drip before contacting the vet to sort
out antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. Everyone was cautiously
optimistic about his chances so we’re keeping our fingers
crossed for him : going with the current theme of “Old-fashioned
sweets” we christened him Werther and when we eventually left
we were glad to see him awake and not quite as close to death’s
door as we’d found him!
Werther on
arrival – not looking too hopeful
|
After
initial treatment and just prior to having the IV drip inserted
– looking a little better
|
Special thanks must go to Pip, one of Filey’s
local fisherman who found him and made the call for help –
his concern for the pup was wonderful and heartening to see –
and his coastguard and RNLI colleagues who also helped while waiting
for us to arrive.
Many thanks also to Helen and the staff at Scarborough
Sea Life Centre for their support and all their hard work.
Dianne &
Catherine Davies
BDMLR volunteers and Marine Mammal Medics
Photos by Dianne Davies
Sunday 10th - Grey Seal Pup Rescue –
Withernsea
Freddie and Joel Taylor
The morning after, Lucy and I were still chatting
about the rescue in Bridlington when the mobile rang and Fay from
main office alerted us of a seal pup reported at Withernsea beach.
So we quickly got dressed, got the kennel and off we went.
After quite a bit of searching we found the woman who reported the
pup and the pup quite freezing on the beach. Thank you Caroline
for staying put until I got there, it was a very cold day! The grey
weaned pup did not look too well. She was alert and fought us off
but she had quite a lot of discharge from the nose and the mouth,
she sneezed, looked tired and a bit underweight. Again the beach
was busy with people walking their dogs. After a few hours observation
the weather started to deteriorate and it started to rain and I
was not happy to leave "Withern" on that beach. I rang
Joel to see if he could have helped but he had a report of another
seal at Mappleton further up the coast and was on route to assist
Dean. I 'jumped' the pup (she was not very impressed and tried to
bite, I was not very impressed as it was my first jump and I had
an audience) and decided to relocate her to a safe area in the nearby
Nature Reserve of Spurn Point. When my son Joel and I released her,
she went "like the clappers" towards the sea but stopped
short and rested. The local Ranger was informed.
The day after I went to check her with Joel (senior). She was not
on the beach. It was good weather and a calm sea, ideal fishing
conditions for "Withern".
Thanks very much to Caroline for phoning and looking after the pup
in the freezing cold, to Lyz who stayed with me for a while and
left me her mobile, as mine had just died, and I would have been
completely isolated. Thanks to the two gentleman who helped me to
carry the kennel onto the road (it was very heavy) , Thanks to Fay
and Alan supporting me on the phone, to Andy the Spurn Point ranger
and to Lucy who stayed a long time on the beach in the cold, took
good photographs and generally has been very patient.
Freddie.
“Marra”
the friendly dolphin died of septicaemia
20th December
The dolphin carcass recently discovered in Skinburness, Cumbria
and identified as Marra, the friendly dolphin seen around the coast
of Cumbria over the last year, is now thought by experts to have
died from septicaemia as a result of a bacterial infection.
A post mortem examination, which was carried out by specialist pathologists
at the Institute of Zoology in London, has found the bacterial organism,
Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae present in all of the body tissues
sampled and the conclusion is that this caused peracute septicaemia
and death. This same disease agent has been seen in other UK-stranded
cetaceans, including several harbour porpoises and a bottlenose
dolphin that stranded in Kent in 1999.
The post mortem also reports a lack of significant scavenger damage
to the carcass, leading the pathologists to suspect that “Marra”
may have stranded alive shortly before her death.
Marra first came to notice when she became trapped and had to be
rescued from the Marina at Maryport, Cumbria. Since then, she had
become increasingly friendly, seeking out human contact along this
coastline and suffering a series of life-threatening incidents.
She received several severe propeller wounds and on one occasion
was stranded on a beach and had to be released back into the sea.
Mark Simmonds, the WDCS Director of Science comments: ‘We
will never be sure how this infection got into Marra’s body
but the large number of wounds that she received and the fact that
she was living in shallow polluted waters may have played an important
role. As a ‘tamed dolphin’ Marra was very vulnerable
to being struck by vessels, and especially their propellers. The
lesson is that solitary dolphins are very vulnerable and it is important
that they are not tamed by people, swimming with them, petting them
or feeding them.’
Alan Knight of British Divers Marine Life Rescue, who lead her original
rescue last January adds: ‘Marra’s death is a very sad
development but the risk to solitary dolphins is increasingly clear
and we need to treat them very carefully and strive to ensure that
they do not loose their natural wariness of people and become tame.’
Typically solitary dolphins stay in a particular region for some
time and often increasingly seek the company of people who turn-up
in large numbers to see them, feed them or swim with them. Sadly,
the fate of these dolphins worldwide is most usually not a happy
one and many are wounded and killed. It is often the attention from
people that leads to their injury and eventual death. Another friendly
dolphin known as Jet was killed when struck by a propeller in Portsmouth
Harbour earlier this year.
Local volunteers and BDMLR medics have been working hard throughout
the year monitoring Marra and providing advice and guidance to swimmers
and boat users. Rescue teams have had to intervene to save the life
of Marra on several occasions.
This is desperately sad news for all those who have been working
hard to try to save the life of this young female dolphin. More
information about solitary dolphins can be found HERE
Carcass of
dolphin found on Cumbrian coast is probably 'Marra'
14th December - 17.35hrs
Press statement - HERE
[pdf]
Volunteers
work hard for rescued seals - Scotland
7th December
BDMLR thanks the many
volunteers who are spending many hours rescuing and transporting
seal pups around Scotland.
Andrew Ireland, on Monday 4th December 06,
rescued an under weight and dehydrated seal pup. He kept it overnight
and tube fed it until we could find a place for it to go. A relay
was done on Tuesday evening with Andrew, Nick Duthie, Iain Wallace
& Gordon Hay where the seal was transported to Hessilhead Wildlife
Center.
We have been extremely busy in North East Scotland
over the last few weeks with many pups going to Grampian Wildlife
Hospital and RSPCA Middlebank. These facilities are bursting at
the seems with seals pups, so Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue have kindly
offered to help and take some of the seal pups in for rehab. With
this offer Nick Duthie, Alasdair MacDonald and Royal Mail who has
allowed us to use one their vans to transport four pups from Grampian
Wildlife Hospital at New Deer to Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue on Wednesday
night/Thursday morning.
A big thank you to all who have given their
time to help rescue, relay and rehab these and many more pups around
the UK, it's been a tough time for all involved.
BDMLR Directors
and all at HQ
Severe
storms cause chaos in Cornwall
2nd – 5th December 2006.
2nd December
14.00: Dave and Lesley Jarvis received a call from the Cornwall
Wildlife Trust Strandings Network requesting assistance in transporting
the body of a seal pup that had been reported at Downderry. As luck
would have it they were actually in Plymouth at the time, so it
was ‘on their way home’. The body of a small seal was
recovered from the beach and taken to a holding facility to await
an examination of wounds on the body.
3rd December.
9.00: In their capacity as volunteers for the Cornwall Wildlife
Trust’s Marine Strandings Network, BDMLR Cornwall Coordinators
Tim Bain and Dave Jarvis with Medic Lesley Jarvis were called out
to examine a dead dolphin washed up at Praa Sands. They found a
common dolphin in very fresh condition with monofilament net injuries
to several parts of its body. The carcass was uplifted and taken
for Post Mortem examination.
15.00: A call was received regarding a seal
pup that had been seen earlier that day apparently not looking well
hauled out below the cliffs at Treyarnon Bay, North of Newquay.
Coordinators Dave Jarvis and Tim Bain started out with Medics Lesley
and Dan Jarvis while calling ahead to Assistant Coordinator Jenny
Haley to attend as well.
Jenny arrived on site first with Medic Lisa
Clarke, and were faced with horrendous conditions: massive seas
(stormy surf in the region of 20ft+), strong onshore winds (Force
8 – 10) blowing foam and spray up the beach, rain showers
and the big spring tide just reaching its highest point and breaking
up the cliffs. They started searching the area from the nearby high
ground, the pup was obviously not on the beach as the waves were
reaching far beyond the normal high tide line, and the poor conditions
meant it was very difficult to see much in the rolling seas. They
were joined shortly by Tim, Dave, Lesley and Dan who helped to search
the beach and surrounding cliffs, but to no avail. The pup had gone
and the search had to be called off as the light faded.
19.00: Dave had just dropped Tim off back home
and was in the local kebab shop ordering some much needed food when
Dan called to say the Seal Sanctuary had contacted him about a pup
on the beach at nearby Gwithian. Dave cancelled the order and hurried
back home to pick up Lesley and Dan. Medics Simon Bone and Karl
Wheston were called to help search the area by torchlight. Fortunately
the tide was now receding quickly, making the beach safer to use
although the winds appeared to be increasing as well as rain showers.
Dave, Lesley and Dan arrived on the beach first and spread out across
the beach to start systematically checking for the seal. Eventually,
it was located just before the arrival of Simon and Karl in the
middle of the beach below the high tide mark. The approximately
2-week-old pup appeared healthy and a good weight, but on closer
inspection an ulcer was noticed in one eye and a swelling noted
on the left foreflipper. After passing on these details to Marianne
of the Sanctuary’s Animal Care Team, it was decided that the
pup needed to come in for treatment. The seal was caught up and
taken for rehabilitation, where it has now been named ‘Stitch’.
4th December.
10.00: Our new Assistant Coordinator Hannah Walter received a report
of a pup at Millook Haven, near Bude. She and Medic Max Faulkner
travelled to the scene and found a vicious pup hiding under a boat
on the slipway. As the pup was inaccessible and seemed reasonably
healthy and happy to remain where it was, it was decided to return
later to check on it again as the sea were described as ‘mountainous’
and it was of concern that it might try to go back out if it was
disturbed.
15:30: Hannah contacted Coordinator Dave Jarvis
to request assistance with the pup at Millook as it was now looking
decidedly ill as it had come out to the edge of the boat. The pup
had a couple of deep wounds on its side and more on its rear flippers
that appeared infected. Tim Bain, Dave and Lesley Jarvis travelled
to the scene, together with Medic Michelle Robinson and together
with Hannah the pup was quickly removed from the beach to a safer
location were it was examined, tube fed & temperature taken.
As NSS Gweek were full Dave, Tim and Lesley transported the animal
to Tiverton, where they were met by the RSPCA, who took the pup
on to West Hatch, Somerset.
5th December.
08.00: An e-mail with photo attachments was received by Dave showing
a pup on a St Ives beach with a severe net injury around the neck
and in malnourished condition. Unfortunately the photo had been
taken two days previously, but Coordinator Tim Bain & medic
Lesley Jarvis checked local beaches in the area anyway, but with
no sign of it.
Dave Jarvis
Cornwall Coordinator
Grey
seal pup with 1 eye rescued, Arbroath - Scotland
by Elaine Roft
5th December
Having
just finished dealing with the adult shot seal at Arbroath slipway
then meeting Willie and Paul with the common seal pup they had uplifted
from Lunan Bay to check its rear flippers, myself and Jacque were
making our way back to Montrose and Willie and Paul had just left
Arbroath town centre heading for Dunfermline when call number 2
came in. This was a pup, reported at the forbidden caves at Carlingheugh
Bay.Myself and Jacque went back to Arbroath to Bob Perts workplace,
borrowed towels and the seal bag and made our way to the location.
Meanwhile Willie and Paul were asked to double back and meet up
with us so that 2 pups 
could
be transported down to Middlebank in 1 go! Allan Muir (Tayforth
Co-ordinator) had also met up with Willie and Paul and left us his
vari kennel for using. After a trek of about a mile, through a very
muddy wood and across a stream, myself and Jacque finally reached
carlingheugh Bay where we were met by a heavily pregnant Melissa
Cheshire from Ancrum outdoor activity centre in Dundee. Melissa,
had managed to lift the pup from the forbidden caves as the tide
was coming in and she was worried that it would take the pup.She
had placed it on the shingle for our arrival. After a muddy steep
decent down the cliff path we arrived to find a small unweaned grey
seal pup, thin, malnourished, approximate weight estimated at under
10kg and the left eye missing. The pup was placed in the seal bag,
then in a padded fish box that we found whilst we made our steep
ascend back up the cliffs, back through the muddy wood and finally
back to the car. Medics Willie Taylor, Paul Horne and Bob Pert,
had by this time arrived to offer assistance (much needed as myself
and Jacque were exhausted) and helped us back to the lay by with
the pup where it was transferred into the vari Kennel. Both pups
were then taken immediately to SSPCA at Middlebank. On arrival,
Romaine (vet) gave urgent veterinary treatment to the unweaned grey
named "Ancrum", administered fluids and weighed it in
at 11.2kg. It was given the codename "Mike" and reference
number 2475. The common pup mentioned above was given codename "Corsa"
and reference 2470 weighing in at 19.6kg The common pup has suspected
pneumonia and / or lungworm, and The unweaned grey has chronic pneumonia
as well as coping with the eye injury etc
Thanks to Medics Elaine Roft, Jacque Watt, Willie Taylor, Paul Horne,
Allan Muir, Volunteer Sue Horne, Melissa Cheshire from Ancrum Activity
Centre, SSPCA Middlebank
Thanks to Medics Elaine Roft, Bob Pert, Jacque Watt, Paul Horne,
Willie Taylor, Sue Horne, Melissa Cheshire (Ancrum Outdoor Activity
Centre), SSPCA,
Elaine
Roft
Medic & Area Co-ordinator (Montrose & Arbroath)
Carlingheugh
Bay, the Forbidden Cave is in the distance, left of centre. See
photograph below.
Common
pup uplift, Montrose, Scotland by Sue Horne
5th December
I Received
'phone call from Elaine Roft, Our Co-ordinator, at 9.15am asking
if we (myself and Paul) were available for an uplift. She had been
contacted by member of the public Jules Anderson who reported a
small seal pup on the beach at Lunan Bay south. She was concerned
that the gulls were attacking the pup and the pup was not making
any attempt to go back into the water.
Elaine contacted Middlebank re - booking a seal pen whilst Paul
Horne (Medic) picked up the transportation tank and Willie Taylor
(Medic).
Paul
and Willie arrived to find a male common seal pup with reasonable
body weight. Respiration was monitored at 30bpm. The pup, however,
was fiesty.
Elaine phoned me again and asked that I contact Paul and ask him
to return home with the pup and wait for a possible second pup coming
down from the North from Andrew Ireland (Buchan Co-ordinator).
I spoke to Andy Ireland at 10.39am and asked him for an update on
his seal pup. Andy informed me that he was trying to organise transport
via the SSPCA to my house, thereby Paul and Willie would transport
both pups to Middlebank.
Paul and Willie arrived at the house 11am. On second inspection
the pup's respiration was monitored at 15bpm, though breathing still
quite laboured.There was some blood oozing from the mouth, the left
eye had 
slight
weeping and a discharge and we were concerned about the rear right
flipper that appeared doubled over.
I Spoke
to Andy Ireland again at 11.15am who said that there was a change
in plans to transport his seal pup and that Paul should make his
way down to Middlebank.
Paul and Willie left Montrose witht the pup now named "Jules"
at 11.20am ETA at Middlebank 14.00 - 14.30hrs and I 'phoned Elaine
to update her on events....Paul and Willie, however, did not leave
the Arbroath area until 13.57hrs because of events that happened
after their leaving Montrose...see our next call out
Our Common pup named "Jules" was renamed Corsa" and
reference 2470 was given weighing in at 19.6kg.
Thanks to Medics Paul Horne, Willie Taylor, Elaine Roft (Co-ordinator),
Bob Pert ( Assistant Co-ordinator), Sue Horne (Volunteer), Jules
Anderson & boyfriend, SSPCA Middlebank
Sue Horne
Volunteer
Montrose / Arbroath Region
Adult
seal found shot with pup lying beside it, Arbroath - Scotland
by Elaine Roft , Bob Pert & Jacque Watt
4th December
I received
a call at 17.23hrs from Alan Stewart, Wildlife and Environment officer,
saying that an adult seal had been found on Arbroath beach which
had been shot twice (probable entry and exit points of bullet) and
that there was a pup, which was alive, lying beside the carcass
.The local police retrieved the adult, and it was secured down for
the night pending photographic evidence in the morning during daylight
hours. Meanwhile Medic Bob Pert had uplifted the pup and took it
home where he was able to carry out an assesment on health etc under
good lighting. The pup was semi moulted, and with having "fishy
breath" had obviously managed to 
eat
some fish. Although body condition was good, it was decided to transport
it to Middlebank, with investigations ongoing meantime, with regard
to the adult, and the probability of the pup being the shot adults
sibling. To be confirmed later. Meanwhile Elaine had spoken with
Brian at SSPCA Middlebank, giving him all the deatils and confirmed
that the pup was en route to him. Elaine said she would update him
tomorrow once she had tied in with the local police who requested
corroboration of seal shot and all necessary data for logging on
to Wildlife Crime Files. Alan Stewart also requested details and
pictures of the pup which were sent to him later in the evening.
Allan Muir (Tayforth Co-ordinator) Kindly agreed to accompany Bob
Pert to Middlebank. The pup named "Abb" arrived at rehab
and was weighed in at 21kg / Codename "Shirley" / reference
number 2473 / Sex to be confirmed / feeding status to be confirmed,
although it would appear that it is self feeding.
Elaine
Roft
Medic & Area Co-ordinator (Montrose & Arbroath)
Further details by Bob Pert
On attending the scene I was informed by a sea angler that the harbour
master and his staff had retrieved the pup and had it contained.
We transferred it to my transport tank and I was taken to the adult
seal which was halfway up the boatbuilder's slip. After examining
it I was firmly of the opinion that the animal had been shot. There
was traumatic injury to the head and two holes which had opened
out post mortem and allowed the gasses to escape.
The pup was removed to my house where it could be left to rest and
checked in light. It was weaned / semi-weaned and I judged it to
be female from head shape ( I may be wrong but I had no assistance
to check better). She still had remnants of her whitecoat. Breathing
was 17 bpm but dropped to 12 to 15 bpm after rest. Gums were a lovely
pink colour and she seemed quite perky. I think it was safer to
rehab her, if she wasn't properly weaned and had been seperated
from her mother by the heavy seas, she wouldn't survive. We couldn't
leave her where she was and monitor for mother presence (on the
slip of a busy boat yard!). I felt so sorry for this animal, did
she follow the dead seal into the harbour thinking it may be her
mum? .
Bob
Pert
Medic & Co-ordinator (Montrose & Arbroath)
Thanks to Alan Stewart (Wildlife & Environment Officer), Tayside
Police, Arbroath Harbour Master, Ron (Arbroath RNLI), Arbroath Boat
Builders, Elaine Roft (Medic & Co-ordinator for Montrose / Abroath),
Bob Pert (Medic & Assistant Co-ordinator for Montrose / Arbroath),
Allan Muir (Tayforth Co-ordinator)
UPDATE by Jacque Watt
05.12.06
Myself (Jacque Watt) and Medic and Co-ordinator Elaine Roft arrived
at Arbroath at 10.45hrs to confirm the species and sex of the adult
seal that was found shot, lying on the slipway at the boat buiders
yard yesterday along with a semi moulted grey pup, as per the request
of WCLO. We can confirm that the carcass was that of an adult male
Grey Seal. There were 2 distinct bullet wounds to the left and right
sides of the head (Entry and exit points of the bullets). The head
was shattered (skull and nose) and there were teeth missing from
both upper and lower jaws.The tip of the tongue had also been blown
away. The carcass was photographed by the police before being removed
from its location on the slipway. The pup, which had been found
with the adult, had most likely followed the carcass down on the
tide to its resting place, thinking that it was presumably its mum.
Sadly, we also report that the pup, despite having good bodyweight
of 21kg died suddenly overnight in rehab facilities. The pup has
been taken for urgent post mortem to rule out foul play. Updates
and post mortem results to follow when we receive them.
Jacque
Watt
Marine Mammal Medic
Montrose / Arbroath Region
Press
article - click HERE
Pup
Rescue - Peterhead, Scotland by Andy Ireland
4th December
On Monday afternoon I received a phone call
from a MOP that worked for Aberdeenshire Council to report a seal
that was again on the river Ugie, just by the white bridge. He had
been contacted by a member of the public to uplift the seal, which
was reported as dead, but when he arrived on scene the seal was
anything but dead! He was unsure whom to call and tried SSPCA, Grampian
Police and they gave him the number of Lawrence at Grampian Wildlife
Trust (GWT), GWT gave him my number.
Andy Ireland (Buchan Coordinator) headed for the Ugie to have a
search for the pup. Eventually found him in roughly the same location
as the other pup but this one was a lot higher up the river. The
pup was thin and had been another victim of the recent bad weather.
He was very unresponsive until you tried to approach him. Andy Ireland
headed back to the car to collect the kit and also checked with
GWT that they would be able to accommodate him.
The seal was uplifted and Faye Archell (BDMLR On Call) was advised
that we had another pup on route to rehab at GWT.
We have now given Aberdeenshire Council some information on BDMLR
and our numbers to call.
Thanks must go to MOP (Aberdeenshire Council), Andy Ireland (Buchan
Coordinator), Grampian Police, Lawrence Brain (Grampian Wildlife
Trust) and Faye Archell (BDMLR On Call).
Andy Ireland
Buchan Regional Coordinator
British Divers Marine Life Rescue
Pup
Rescue - Fraserburgh, Scotland by Andy Ireland
4th December
At about 10.30 on Monday evening Andy Ireland
(Buchan Coordinator) received a call from Kenneth McLennan (Buchan
Medic) to advise that whilst he was on patrol at work he had came
across a seal pup and he was trying to get hold of a key holder
for the locked/fenced off area that the seal was stuck in. I got
the kit back in to the car, and headed through to Fraserburgh. On
route I contacted Faye Archell (BDMLR On Call) to advise that we
had another pup and I was heading to take a look.
On route, Kenneth McLennan contacted me to advise that the key holder
was now present and they had access to the pup. When I arrived at
the RNLI Lifeboat access stairs, the pup had managed to get on to
their platform and had climbed the stairs to the top and had been
trying to force it’s way through/under the gate to gain access
to the quayside.
The pup was another white coat and appeared
to be a bit thin, there was no way that if a mother was present
she would of found the little fella where he had placed himself.
The pup had a very distinct smell of Diesel obviously from swimming
around in the Fraserburgh harbour.
Andy Ireland uplifted the pup and took him back to the house for
overnight holding in our pen. The pup was given 200ml of Lectade
+ and then placed in the pen for his overnight stay due to all of
the pens at Grampian Wildlife Trust and SSPCA Middlebank being full,
and the time of night was also against us as a relay would not have
been possible (00.30).
In the morning our pup was given another 200ml
of Lectade, placed back in his Vari-Kennel and he had to go to work.
During the day we were trying to arrange a relay and pen for him
and we were working with BDMLR HQ, BDMLR Montrose team, SSPCA, Grampian
Police and Mintlaw Vets to try and arrange a place and means of
transport to take his to a more permanent pen for rehab. Throughout
the day he was given more Lectade with the help of some of the staff
from work.
By 1600, we had a plan and he was going to be relayed to Hesslehead
in Paisley. Andy Ireland took him to Ellon where he was handed over
to Nick Duthie (Aberdeenshire Coordinator). Nick Duthie then passed
him on to Ian Wallace (Montrose Medic), Ian then passed on to Gordon
Hay (Glasgow Coordinator) who took the pup the final part of the
journey to Hesselhead.
This was a very large
scale operation with many people involved or contacted for help
and hopefully I will manage to thank them all: - Kenneth McLennan
(Buchan Medic), RNLI (Fraserburgh), Fraserburgh Harbour, Andy Ireland
(Buchan Coordinator), Buchan Team, Elaine Roft (Montrose Coordinator),
Sue & Paul Horne (Montrose Medics), Montrose Team, Sue, Trevor
& Tony (BDMLR HQ), PC Sangster (Grampian Police), Mintlaw Vet
Surgery, SSPCA (Middlebank & Emergency Switchboard), Nick Duthie
(Aberdeenshire Coordinator), Ian Wallace (Montrose Medic), Gordon
Hay (Glasgow Coordinator), Lawrence Brain (Grampian Wildlife Trust
– New Deer).
Andy Ireland
Buchan Regional Coordinator
British Divers Marine Life Rescue
Pup
Rescue - Peterhead, Scotland by Andy Ireland &
Elaine Helyer
1st December
At 1300
I received a call from Nick Duthie (Aberdeenshire Coordinator) to
advise me of a seal pup that had been reported by a member of the
public to Grampian Police. WPC Lindsay of Grampian Police and a
trained BDMLR Medic works in the Peterhead office and contacted
Nick Duthie. She advised us that she was going to go and have a
look at the seal and meet up with the member of the public that
reported it. The seal was reported to be quite far up the river
Ugie on the shore by MOP Mr. Stewart Watt.
Andy Ireland (Buchan Coordinator) sent out a group text and Elaine
Helyer (Buchan Volunteer) advised that she would be able to attend
and immediately headed to meet up with WPC Lindsay.
On arrival the seal was a white coat that has been pushed right
up the river Ugie probably due to the latest spell of bad weather.
The pup had been in the same spot for the entire day and had been
reported to the SSPCA at 0900 that same day however they were unable
to attend. On speaking to Mr Watt he advised us that the seal pup
had been attacked by a dog earlier in the day and had been receiving
a lot of pubic and 
canine
disturbance. [click on image to enlarge]
Elaine
Helyer contacted Andy Ireland and passed on all the relevant information,
we decided that if left on the beach, this pup would not survive.
Elaine then contacted Stacey Esson (Buchan Medic) who had been covering
the Buchan on call for the past few days and had all our seal kit
and kennel. Stacey arranged for her brother to take all the kit
and drop it off to Elaine Helyer at the Ugie.
Whilst waiting on the kit, the MOP that had passed by earlier and
allowed his dog to attack the pup began to give abuse to Elaine
Helyer and by this time WPC Lindsay had left to attend to something
else. Elaine Helyer contacted Andy Ireland and Andy Ireland called
WPC Lindsay to ask if she could give our team a hand with an abusive
MOP. WPC Lindsay gave Elaine Helyer and lift to the car with the
pup whilst the MOP continued to hurl abuse and explained that “we
were just a bunch of do gooders” and “seals should just
be shot”.
Elaine Helyer took our pup back to her farm at Rattray to wait for
Andy Ireland to come round to collect the pup and take it to Grampian
Wildlife Trust (GWT) along with the new seal tank that he had just
acquired.
Andy Ireland uplifted the pup from Elaine Helyer, took it to GWT
and it was placed straight in to the new pen that we were dropping
off. Pup was given 200ml of Lectade + and temperature at Rattray
farm was 37.2.
Thanks must go to Nick Duthie (Aberdeenshire Coordinator), Elaine
Helyer (Buchan Volunteer), Andy Ireland (Buchan Coordinator), Stacey
Esson (Buchan Medic), WPC Lindsay (Medic & Grampian Police),
Elaine Roft (Montrose Coordinator), Lawrence Brain (Grampian Wildlife
Trust), SSPCA Middlebank and a big thanks to Mr. Stewart Watt for
reporting the pup to Grampian Police.
Andy Ireland
Buchan Regional Coordinator
British Divers Marine Life Rescue
Seal
pup rescue - Johnshaven, Scotland
by Sue Horne
1st December
Having
received a phone call from Medic Rebecca Chambers telling us that
there was a small seal pup near to the caravan site in Johnshaven,
myself and Paul Horne responded at 14.45hrs. We found a small grey
seal pup on the shingle and monitored it for a while. Respiration
was 23 over 1 minute, and the seal was making a 'rasping' sound
when breathing. Breathing appeared to be heavy and laboured.The
pup was approx 2ft in length. It had a few tufts of white hair to
it's rear and the rear flippers were white - semi moulted.
There was a discharge around the right eye and there was yellow
/ pale green discharge coming from it's 
nostrils.
The Gums were also pale. [click on image to
enlarge]
We Spoke to Elaine Roft, Our Co-ordinator and detailed what we had
found, then Paul headed off to Medic Rebecca Chambers house (just
off the beach location) to pick up the transportation tank as we
felt that we had to uplift the pup given its breathing and nasal
discharge despite it having reasonable body weight. I stayed with
the pup and tried to keep it on the shingle and thereby avoiding
the slippery rocks. We were unable to sex or take the temperature
of the pup as Paul was straddling the seal and I couldn't get down
to ground level due to my being in a leg brace and on crutches.
Rebecca Chambers, medic, did attend the pup but we felt that, due
to her having a nasty stomach bug, she should not get too near the
pup.
Paul managed to get the pup into the tank and I again phoned Elaine
and updated her on the situation. She asked that we take the pup
back to our house and that we leave it in the tank, in the car,
with adequate ventilation whilst she set up a relay to Middlebank
and established contact with BDMLR consulting Vet Cameron McPherson.
This would also allow the pup to rest, hopefully reduce the respiration
rate and allow it to settle down.
On arriving home from the locus, Elaine phoned to say that there
was no-one available to relay the pup to Middlebank at this time,
so Paul and Willie Taylor, medics, agreed to relay the pup straight
down to Middlebank, ETA 17.30 hrs.
Before leaving I monitored respiration and found it to be 13 over
30 seconds and then the seal appeared to stop breathing, we both
felt it had died, but a few seconds later it began moving.
Breathing was still heavy and, after speaking to Elaine, it was
felt that we should not disturb the pup any more but should set
off immediately to Middlebank as per Cameron McPherson & Middlebanks
instructions.
I again contacted Elaine and updated her on what was happening.
The pup, named "Rivie" arrived at Middlebank between 17.30
- 18.00hrs, was given the code name "Kirston" and reference
number 2468. It weighed in at 16.4kg, was given rehydration fluids
and left to rest in its holding pen.
Sue Horne
Volunteer
Montrose / Arbroath Region
Thanks to Medics Rebecca Chambers, Paul Horne, Willie Taylor, Our
Co-ordinator Elaine Roft, BDMLR Consulting Vet Cameron McPherson,
SSPCA Middlebank
