Seal pup’s 300 mile journey

An orphaned seal pup found on the Isle of Harris has made a 300 mile trip to receive specialist care at the Scottish SPCA’s Wildlife Rescue Centre in Fife.

A member of the public discovered the distressed seal pup lying next to her dead mother at Northton, on Harris, and contacted us for help.

Stornoway-based Senior Inspector Calum Watt rescued the three week old female pup, took her for vet treatment then provided overnight care before making the seven hour journey to Fife by ferry and car.

We have named the seal pup Lui, and she’s now making a good recovery.

Centre Manager Colin Seddon said, “Seal pups are still dependent on their mother’s milk at three weeks old, so Lui was too young to be left on her own. She still has her white baby fur which means she’s not yet able to swim or feed herself.

“If she hadn’t been discovered, Lui would have eventually starved to death. Normally we would observe seal pups from a distance for a day or so before removing them, but as a deal seal was lying nearby all the evidence suggested she’d been orphaned so our inspector acted swiftly.

“It was a long journey for Lui to make, but we knew it was worth it to ensure she got the specialist treatment she requires.

“We have been tube feeding her a soup of liquidised fish and nutrients, which she’s responding to well. We’ll soon be offering her whole fish and access to shallow water, before moving her to an outdoor pool where she’ll be introduced to other seal pups. Once she’s fully fit and at the right weight we’ll release her back to the wild.”