Grey and common seal pups stranded on beaches are rescued in large numbers annually, requiring skilled care to return them to the sea with appropriate hunting and social skills.
Seal pup rehabilitation is complex and welfare-intensive. Malnourished pups require tube feeding initially, then teaching to self-feed on fish. Human imprinting must be avoided as habituated seals approach humans and boats, creating conflict situations that typically end in the seal being killed. Pups must be housed with conspecifics to develop appropriate social behavior. Pool size must be adequate for swimming development. Pups rehabilitated in isolation show abnormal social behavior after release. The rehabilitation period typically runs 4-8 weeks, after which animals must demonstrate independent fish feeding before release. Release site selection matters for survival: sites with appropriate habitat and prey but not used by habituated seals that could influence the released animal are preferred.