Rescued seal pups enjoy recuperation in penguin enclosure
Two seal pups are enjoying the pool in the penguin enclosure at the Great Yarmouth Sea Life centre.The penguins are away in Scarborough, but will be back Picture: Sea Life Centre - Credit: Sea Life Centre
Two seal pups are piling on the blubber and learning to swim again at a seaside attraction’s penguin enclosure.
Two seal pups are enjoying the pool in the penguin enclosure at the Great Yarmouth Sea Life centre.The penguins are away in Scarborough, but will be back Picture: Sea Life Centre - Credit: Sea Life Centre
Snowball and Jonny are being looked after at the Sea Life centre in Great Yarmouth after being plucked from certain death on the beach.
The centre, on the Golden Mile, had space to take them because the resident Humboldt penguins had moved out while their quarters were being refurbished.
Snowball had been abandoned by his mum and would not have survived without help, and Jonny had head injuries which needed medical treatment.
Meanwhile warmer weather has encouraged the penguins to start mating early at their temporary home in Scarborough and they are now nesting on eggs and cannot be disturbed.
The Sea Life Sanctuary at Hunstanton has helped rescue and rehabilitate over 50 seals in the last year.
Terry Harris, general manager at Sea Life, Yarmouth, said: “We’re happy to support our sister site and glad to help these wonderful pups recuperate. “This has freed up space within the sanctuary’s hospital for other seals that might need medical treatment.
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“Visitors can get up close to the pups and find out all about seal rescues”.
Snowball was rescued at Trimingham in January at only a few weeks old.
He was too young to look after himself, abandoned by his mum and very small weighing only 11kg.
Jonny was rescued at Bacton in February and had some very serious injuries to her head, neck and flippers and she only weighed 19kg.
After several weeks of medication and veterinary care to help heal wounds, both seal pups need a little time to get used to swimming in deeper water and pile on the blubber to reach their target weight.
When the time is right, which will only be a matter of weeks, the team will arrange their safe release back to their part of the Norfolk coast at Trimingham and Bacton.
The centre has cut the ribbon on its new Jelly Invaders display.
It features a collection of jellyfish from across the world, remarkable for having no hearts or brains.
Jellyfish have lived in the oceans for more than 650 million years, outdating dinosaurs and even sharks.
They are said to be older than all of our ancient reptiles and scientists believe they first swam in our oceans around 500 million years ago.
