Sami the Channel Island seal pup loving her pool and improving daily - can you help towards her care

We are pleased to report that Sami a grey seal pup who was rescued on a beach in Jersey just after Christmas starving and unwell is making fantastic progress and is now swimming well in our pools at the Shelter in St Andrews.

Nearly four months on from her rescue she is eating extremely well and over the last two weeks been enjoying the sunshine and her rehabilitation pool.

Sami continues to eat between 20 to 30 mackerel and herring a day and we continue to appeal for support towards her care.

As Sami is now eating between 600 and 1000 mackerel and herring a month as well as her veterinary care, cleaning the intensive care room for seals and extra vitamins every penny helps make a real difference to her rehabilitation.

The team are extremely pleased with her progress at the GSPCA and each day she gets closer to being strong enough and of a healthy weight to be released back to the wild.

Geoff George Animal Collection Officer and main carer of marine mammals at the GSPCA said “With Sami eating extremely well and putting on weight we decided last month it was time to let her out in one of our rehabilitation pools.”

"Every day Sami improves and when she is ready we would love to release on or near Jersey where she was found."

“We are so grateful to all that have donated to her care from SandpiperCI to each individual who has recently made a wonderful donation.”

Steve Byrne GSPCA Manager said “It is amazing to see the transformation with Sami from being a very weak and near death seal pup back in December to now seeing her devouring her fish and swimming around in her rehab pool.”

“Thankfully we are through the local grey seal pup season so it is highly unlikely that we will have other young seals but we are at the end of the phone 24/7 for advice and have a web page full of information if you spot one in need.”

"Over the next week we are running guided tours at the Shelter and there is a chance you may get a glimpse of Sami through our one way glass in our wildlife unit."

“It costs around £5 a meal for Sami and if anyone would like to donate to her care or sponsor the wildlife unit monthly please call us on 257261, pop in or via the links on our website.”

"Thank you to all that have already helped towards Sami and her care it is really appreciated.”

“We will of course keep all up to date on Sami’s care and progress at the GSPCA."

To donate towards Sami’s care through paypal and the other animals please visit - https://www.paypal.me/DonateGSPCA

You can donate by calling 01481 257261 or at the Shelter – GSPCA, Rue des Truchots, St Andrews, Guernsey, GY6 8UD

To book your place on a guided tour please call 01481 257261 or visit here for details - http://gspca.org.gg/blog/today-easter-guided-tour-gspca-and-see-behind-scenes-12-19-april-book-your-place-they-are-going

For advice if you find sick or injured wildlife - http://www.gspca.org.gg/animals/wildlife-advice

To become a sponsor and help feed Sami - http://gspca.org.gg/sites/default/files/Angel%20sponsor%20form%20new%202017.pdf

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.

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.

To donate to the many animals in our care please visit

The GSPCA are very proud to announce that we have been awarded the Guernsey Community Foundation Charity of the Year.

There are so many amazing organisations, groups and individuals and to recognise these there are a number of upcoming awards. Could you nominate the GSPCA, one of our team or another worthy individual or cause? Please visit the links below

Nominating a group for The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service, please visit - https://qavs.direct.gov.uk

Could you write us a review on the Best of Guernsey who run awards each year, if you could please visit - https://www.thebestof.co.uk/local/guernsey/business-guide/feature/gspca

To donate via giving.gg to help animals at the GSPCA please click here

 

 

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