Aquatic Animals

Aquatic Mammal Rehabilitation Welfare

The rehabilitation of stranded or injured aquatic mammals including seals and otters requires specialised facilities and expertise to achieve welfare-positive outcomes.

Key Facts

British Divers Marine Life Rescue trains volunteers in marine mammal first response
Common seals are the most frequently rehabilitated marine mammal in the UK
Otters requiring rehabilitation have complex dietary and housing needs
Release success rates vary significantly with the cause of admission
Long-term captivity of social species causes welfare problems from social isolation

Welfare Considerations

Rehabilitation welfare requires balancing immediate medical needs against behavioural and social welfare. Seals in rehabilitation benefit from conspecific company but disease transmission requires careful management. Minimising human contact reduces imprinting risk and improves release success. Rehabilitation facilities that provide species-appropriate environments including water access, appropriate diet, and social contact achieve better welfare and release outcomes.

What You Can Do

Support BDMLR and dedicated marine mammal rescue organisations
Never approach stranded seals to handle them without calling specialists first
Donate to rehabilitation facilities with documented welfare standards
Learn first aid principles for marine mammal strandings
Advocate for adequate funding of marine mammal rehabilitation facilities