Seal used as selfie prop goes back to the wild
A rescued seal pup who was found in distress after being picked up by beach walkers and used as a photo prop earlier this year has now been released into the wild.
Stanley the seal was rescued after being left in a state of distress by a group of teenagers on Blackhall Beach in July.
The youngsters posed for selfies with the underweight pup, separating him from his mother in the process.
Stanley, as he has become known, was later rescued from the County Durham sands, following on from the disturbance. He was then taken to the Tynemouth Seal Hospital where he received treatment for a suspected mouth infection.
With the help of Tynemouth Aquarium staff, medics from British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) finally released the rehabilitated harbour seal pup along with another, called Wallace, back into the North Sea yesterday morning.
Wallace was himself rescued from a Northumberland beach in recent months, having been unable to survive in the wild without the intervention and care of staff from the two organisations.
The two pups were released at St Mary's Island, Whitley Bay, at 11:55am sharp in order to tie in with the area’s tidal movements.
Tynemouth Seal Hospital is a purpose-built marine mammal rehabilitation centre, housed by Tynemouth Aquarium and managed in partnership with BDMLR.
The latter organisation said Stanley’s ordeal should serve as a reminder to the public that if they see any seals on the beach they should keep their distance. If the animal appears to be in distress, members of the public should call: 01825 765546.