Harbour Seal Rehabilitation: Orphan Care and Release

Harbour seal pups are frequently stranded and require specialist rehabilitation before safe release back to the wild.

Key Facts

Harbour seals give birth to a single pup each year; pups nurse for only 3-4 weeks before weaning.
Storm-separated or sick pups must gain sufficient weight and learn to self-feed before release.
Rehabilitation centres use fish-smearing and live-fish pools to teach hunting behaviour.
Pups raised without proper wild-fish experience show lower post-release survival.
Post-release tracking with satellite tags reveals survival rates of 50-75% in well-run programmes.
Volunteers must maintain low contact to prevent imprinting on humans.

Welfare Considerations

Seal pups in care face stress from handling, noise, and unfamiliar environments. High-quality rehabilitation minimises human contact, provides species-appropriate diet, and uses graduated exposure to seawater pools. Welfare assessment includes body condition scoring, behavioural indicators of stress, and health screening for lungworm and leptospirosis before release.

What You Can Do

Report stranded seals to local wildlife rescue rather than approaching or touching them.
Support accredited seal rehabilitation charities through donation.
Avoid disturbing seal haul-out sites during pupping season.
Advocate for reduced marine litter that entangles seals.