When a person walking their dog recently noticed a strange white blob washed up on Ross Sands Beach in North East England, the concerned Good Samaritan tried to get a closer look. Heartbroken to realize what was going on, they quickly called British Divers Marine Life Rescue for help.
The little white lump was actually a grey seal pup who’d washed too far ashore and was struggling to stay alive.
“At first we thought the pup wasn’t breathing,” marine mammal medic Lynn Young told The Dodo. “But then, with great relief, we saw her move her head.”
Once at the scene, Young and fellow medic Jane Hardy climbed up on a sand dune to observe the seal colony from a distance, careful to avoid disturbing them and causing a stampede. It was unclear whether or not the pup was part of this colony or if she had accidentally washed away from another colony nearby. Regardless, medics needed to be cautious.
After hours of monitoring, medics had to make a decision. The tide was coming in. Soon, the seal pup would be washed back into the ocean. As a harsh rain continued to fall, medics gently wrapped the seal in a towel and transported her to safety.
“She didn’t seem to mind being moved,” Hardy told The Dodo. “She even slept for some of the journey, probably because she was cold, exhausted and premature.”
Rescuers kept the baby warm under a heat lamp and gave her fluids every few hours over the course of a couple of days until her strength began to improve. Though the seal’s breathing was a bit labored, a veterinarian soon confirmed that the pup’s lungs were in good condition.
Eventually, the seal was moved to Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue, where staff members named her Mystic.
Safe at Hessilhead, it’s clear that little Mystic is finally out of harm’s way.
