Rescued pups give new ‘mums’ seal of approval
DOZENS of orphaned seal pups that were swept away from their mothers during storms are being saved by ‘wetsuit mums’.
Seal Rescue Ireland in Co. Wexford has seen a recent surge in orphaned seals – many just days and weeks old.
The injured or orphaned pups are now being comforted by ‘fake mums’ made from old wetsuits.
The charity organisation which rescues, rehabilitates and releases native seals from across the coast, said it uses wetsuits that would have ended up in landfill.
Each of the pups needs months of care after being separated from their mother and would not survive if left alone in the wild.
The ‘wetsuit mums’ are made to look and feel like an adult seal and are placed beside the pups in the centre’s intensive care unit.
Executive director of Seal said Rescue that Ireland orphaned Melanie seals Croce can become distressed when brought into the centre. ‘When they become separated from their mother very young they have virtually no chance of survival and that’s when we have to step in, help them and bring them back to a healthy weight, and get them big and strong enough to be released into the wild,’ she said. ‘They can be very stressed and we look for ways to keep them calm. The idea [of using wetsuits] kind of evolved and we tried it out and it was a hit. It’s a practical way to help them along, it’s very heart-warming and this is the closest thing they will have to a mother. We have 17 pups and they all get a “fake mum” with them. We put them into an ICU container with a heat lamp.
‘After storms we always get a huge amount of calls about abandoned pups so this is how climate change is impacting.
‘They also become orphaned through human disturbance.’
The designer behind the ‘wetsuit mum’, Lynn Haughton – , founder and designer of The Upcycle Movement – said she wanted it to resemble an adult seal. ‘I repurpose recyclable textiles,’ said Ms Haughton, who had been volunteering at the centre.
‘The seals responded really well – most have went straight to it... It’s definitely effective... rescue centres in the UK have contacted me about how they can do it.’