Submitted by Steve on 12:40, 12th Feb, 2016 | 0

Yesterday a stray dragon was saved in Guernsey.

Out at Jerbourg Point a member of public came across a stray Bearded Dragon.

Very cold the team at the GSPCA have named the unusual stray Oliver and we are pleased to report despite being out in the Guernsey winter he is now safe at the Animal Shelter and made it through the night.

Their natural habitats include deserts, arid and rocky areas, dry forests and scrublands and are mainly found in the eastern and central parts of Australia and not the south east of Guernsey.

Although many bearded dragons have been removed from their natural environment as a result of pet trade, their number in the wild thankfully is still stable and they are not on the list of endangered species.

Being from such a warm climate it is highly unlikely that Oliver will have escaped for long and would have likely died if the kind member of public hadn't of found him.

He is in special facilities at the GSPCA and we are appealing for an owner to come forward on 01481 257261.

Sheryl Carre GSPCA Animal Care Assistant and Bearded Dragon owner said "Yesterday we had a stray Bearded Dragon found at Jerbourg Point which is currently safe and warm at the Shelter."

"Bearded Dragons need to be kept in a special heated set up and Oliver would likely have only days out in the Guernsey winter."

"Please contact us on 257261 if he belongs to you or you know who he belongs to."

Steve Byrne GSPCA Manager said "We help well over a thousand stray, lost and found animals every year but it is rare for us to help a dragon."

"Oliver made it through the night which is fantastic as we were worried he may have been too weak to do so."

"We have a page full of advice if you find or lose an animal or you can always call us on 01481 257261."

"As with the Guernsey Animal Welfare Ordinance we hold strays for 21 days and if no owner is found we then look to find them a new home but we are hoping the owner will be missing this lovely male Bearded Dragon."

For lost and found advice please click here.

Interesting Bearded dragon Facts:

  • Average bearded dragon can reach 16 to 22 inches in length. 
  • Males are larger than females. 
  • Tail is usually half of the body length. 
  • Body of bearded dragon is tan to yellow in color. 
  • It has spines on the throat, on both sides of the head and on the both sides along the abdomen. 
  • Its head is triangular shaped. 
  • Body is muscular and supported with strong legs. 
  • Bearded dragon is named that way because it can enlarge its throat (that resembles beard) when it is threatened or when defending its territory. 
  • Males and females can be easily distinguished by couple of features. 
  • Males have wider heads and darker beards and they are longer than females. 
  • Females have thinner and more slender tails than males. 
  • Bearded dragon prefers life in bushes and trees, and is can be also found basking on rocks. 
  • Bearded dragon is an omnivore, which means that it consumes both plant- and animal-based diet. 
  • It usually eats insects, small rodents, lizards and leafy plants. 
  • Bearded dragon has specific way to greet other members of the group or to show submission in front of a more dominant male. 
  • It will stand on three legs while rotating remaining leg in the air. Bearded dragons gain "scary appearance" when they are threatened. 
  • They are able to enlarge their throats and flatten their body. 
  • Bearded dragon is able to regulate its body temperature by changing the shades of the color of the skin from light to dark and vice versa. 
  • Main predators of bearded dragons are large lizards, dingoes and birds of prey. 
  • Unlike other lizards, bearded dragons are not able to detach their tails when they need to escape from predators. 
  • If they lose their tails, they will not able to repair the damage (they will be tailless for the rest of their life). 
  • Bearded lizards are not very fast runners. 
  • They can run only 9 miles per hour. 
  • Bearded lizards do not have specific breeding season, instead, they are able to breed throughout the whole year. 
  • Bearded dragons will reach sexually maturity between 8 and 12 months of age. 
  • Average lifespan of bearded dragon is between 4 and 10 years.

Pop Up Shop at the GSPCA has a new look thanks to Holeshothttp://www.gspca.org.gg/blog/pop-shop-gspca-has-new-look-thanks-holeshot

Posted by GSPCA on Saturday, 6 February 2016

Bonnie The Seal from karldorfner on Vimeo.

To become an Angel Pen Pal sponsor and support the many animals in our care please download an Angel Pen Pal Sponsor form by clicking here.
To donate to Bonnie the grey seal pup please call 01481 257261, pop along to the Animal Shelter in St Andrews, by post or by clicking the link below.

8 days on and Bonnie the seal pup is doing better than we coul...

8 days on and Bonnie the seal pup is doing better than we could have hoped http://www.gspca.org.gg/blog/10-days-and-bonnie-seal-pup-doing-better-we-could-have-hoped

Posted by GSPCA on Tuesday, 26 January 2016

Some facts about Grey Seals -

The grey seal (Halichoerus grypus, meaning "hooked-nosed sea pig") is found on both shores of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is a large seal of the family Phocidae or "true seals". It is the only species classified in the genus Halichoerus. Its name is spelled gray seal in the US; it is also known as Atlantic grey seal and the horsehead seal

Grey seal adults may be up to 2.5 metres in length and weigh up to 250kg, with males tending to be larger than females.

Previous seal pups rescued Jethou Bumblebee was 17kg on entry and Hanois 20kg, Eden 18kg and Trinity 15kg which was less than half the 40kg they should have been for their age with Bonnie only 14kg.

Male grey seals reach sexual maturity at 6 years, Females at 3 to 5 years and the latter give birth to their pups in the Autumn and early Winter.

Typically the first British pups are born off the Scillies and Cornwall in August and September and the time of pupping is progressively later as you move clockwise around the British Isles, the latest pups being born off the east coast of Scotland in late December.

All seal pups rescued locally were born early November to late December.

At, birth, grey seal pups weigh about 13 kg. and are covered in long, creamy white hair. A bond is formed between mother and pup at birth, and a mother can recognise her pup from its call and smell. For the first 3 weeks of their lives, pups rarely swim, suckling from their mothers 5 to 6 times a day, for up to 10 minutes at a time. The mothers milk is rich in fat and the pups rapidly put on weight.

The seal pups rescued have all been around two to three weeks when they were brought into the GSPCA.

The mother tends to remain just offshore between suckling bouts and rarely feeds, losing up to a quarter of her body weight before her pup is weaned.

Grey seal pups are weaned after losing their baby coat at 3 to 4 weeks of age. At this point, they weigh 40 to 50 kg; three times their birth weight.

The pups live off these fat reserves whilst learning to feed, which may take several weeks.

The adult females which are called cows become fertile soon after weaning their pups, mating with the adult males which are called bulls, who hold territories during the breeding season and may mate with over half a dozen cows.

Mating can take place on land or in water and pregnancy last for 11.5 months, there being a period of 3.5 months when the fertilised embryo does not attached to the wall of the uterus and its development is arrested ("delayed implantation"). As a result, pups are born at the same time each year. Grey seals moult annually in the spring, 3 to 5 months, after the end of the breeding season. In the wild, males may live for about 25 years, females for about 35 years.

We will of course keep you up to date with Bonnie's progress and keep your eyes open for pictures and videos.

If anyone see's a pup with or without a mum we really do appreciate a call so that we are aware of its location and condition but here is some advice.

A healthy pup looks like a big, stuffed maggot without a neck. However, a thin pup looks sleek (but not bony) and has a visible neck, like a healthy dog.

PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH THE SEAL. They can give a nasty bite, which will become infected by bacteria that live in a seal’s mouths.

Note: Do not allow dogs or other animals to harass a seal.

If a Seal is scared back into the water, it could then be washed out to sea by strong currents and be lost. You should not put a seal pup back in the sea as it may get into difficulty.

If a Seal pup is sick, thin or injured then we would ask you to contact the GSPCA immediately on 01481 257261 day or night

When reporting an injured, sick or abandoned seal to the GSPCA, please make sure you are able to supply the following information:

  • Exact location; nearest town / village
  • Position on the beach, and state of the tide
  • How long you have observed the pup; any disturbance / risk to it; whether the mother has been seen
  • Any wounds / obvious signs of illness
  • Length/colour/condition.

Caution:- Handling of any animal either domestic, wild, dead or alive may be potentially hazardous. Obvious dangers include bites, scratches and general hygiene issues. Common sense should be applied in all instances and, if unsure, seek additional advice or assistance. Personal hygiene should be taken into consideration after handling any animal, whether it’s domestic, wild, dead or alive.

To see some of the previous stories follow the links below

Seal Rescue to Save Jethou Bumblebee 25th November 2012

Hanois the grey seal pup rescued on Saturday by GSPCA staff 7th January 2013

Jethou Bumblebee & Hanois the rescued grey seal pups back in the wild 18th April 2013

The Rescue of Trinity the Seal Pup 9th January 2014

Extremely sick and weak Grey Seal Pup rescued at Corbier now at the GSPCAhttp://www.gspca.org.gg/blog/extremely-sick-and-weak-grey-seal-pup-rescued-corbier-now-gspca

Posted by GSPCA on Monday, 18 January 2016

To find out how you could help during the GSPCA Purple Week between 11th and 14th, for more details please click here.

Happy Birthday Ella Gidney - a special behind the scenes at the GSPCA as a birthday treathttp://www.gspca.org.gg/blog/happy-birthday-ella-gidney-special-behind-scenes-gspca-birthday-treat

Posted by GSPCA on Monday, 30 November 2015

To see all of our events, links and fund raisers please click here

Nominations for the CEVA Welfare Awards 2016 are now open - could you nominate someone in...

Posted by GSPCA on Friday, 30 October 2015
To sponsor the many animals in our care please download an Angel Pen Pal & Slovakian Puppy Appeal form by clicking here.

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To donate towards the many animals in our care, you can do so by:

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Looking for pet insurance in Guernsey? Check out the GSPCA pet insurance with Rossborough http://www.rossboroughpetinsurance.co.uk

Posted by GSPCA on Tuesday, 30 June 2015

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GSPCA Build Partner programme at the GSPCA Animal Shelter in Guernsey - could your business support the GSPCA and animals in Guernsey - CSR - Corporate Social Responsibility -

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Volunteering at the GSPCA Animal Shelter in Guernsey

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