Seal on the mend

From the The Argus, first published Monday 11th Dec 2006.

A seal found injured and bleeding on a beach is recovering well.

Since being discovered on Cuckmere Beach on November 21, the young seal has been cared for at the RSPCA centre in Mallydams Wood near Hastings.

It's hoped the seal will be released back into the wild within a matter of weeks, depending on the weather.

The seal, which was found by a dog walker, was bleeding and appeared to have a lung complaint.

Animal rescue workers and volunteers managed to capture it using sleeping bags.

Trevor Weeks, who works for East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service and is the national co-ordinator for British Divers Marine Life Rescue, helped with the operation.

He immediately noticed the 3ft-long seal appeared to be suffering from lungworm, a common complaint among seals which can be passed from mothers to their unborn children.

Mr Weeks, who visited Mallydams Wood last week, said: "The seal was in an outdoor pool being treated for lungworm and seemed to be doing quite well. He is certainly going to be releasable. It is just going to take a short while."

Mr Weeks said the seal could not be released until the sea was a lot calmer.

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