Seals return home to re-vamped pool at Scottish Sealife Sanctuary
THE SEALS who call the The Scottish Sea Life Sanctuary in Barcaldine home are back and happier than ever thanks to their refurbished pool.
After taking a six-week ‘vacation’ while their pools were re-lined, the seals returned ‘as if they had never been away’.
Ensuring their home is maintained is ‘absolutely vital’, manager Heidi Holland said.
‘The welfare of the seals and their environment is paramount to their care,’ she added.
‘We like to make sure their home is top notch. They went straight back in together like they had never been away and their training resumed as soon as they came back.’
The move wasn’t a stressful one for the seals, as months prior to the trip, the seals were trained and rewarded for using the stretcher which was used to transport them in and out of the pool.
‘They think it’s a game,’ said Heidi. ‘It’s fun for them. It’s all about positive reinforcement.’
This same technique is used for health checks, making it a fun experience for the seals.
Getting them to roll over in exchange for fish means they can be examined to ensure they are in tip-top condition.
It also ‘keeps them active and keeps their minds engaged’, Heidi added.
Members of the public can get up close and personal and play with the seals through the sanctuary’s ‘feeding experiences’.
A maximum of two people at a time can feed the seals before the centre opens to the public before being treated to breakfast themselves in the on-site cafe, which overlooks Loch Creran.
The other option is the VIP seal feeding experience, which gives two people the chance to feed the seals during opening hours.
To purchase experience tickets visit www.visitsealife.com/ oban/discover/experiences