Great Scott! Marty McSeal heads for Guernsey

Tuesday 11 December 2018

Marty has joined Andrew in the recovery pool at the animal shelter in Guernsey as the GSPCA confirms its position as a rescue centre for poorly seals.

He was found in Jersey on Monday 10 Dec, when a dog walker spotted him at the high tide mark at Green Island beach, St Clement.

Pictured: The latest seal was rescued at St Clement in Jersey. 

The British Divers Marine Life Rescue team, who take care of seal pups found in Jersey, think he's only three or four weeks old. 

Donna de Gruchy said he had already had signs of independence but he was clearly struggling.

"The small pup had already moulted his white Laguno coat, showing he had already been weaned from mum, and was fending for himself in the wild. This gives an approximate age of three/four weeks where a pup is left to fend alone and teach himself to feed.  This poor pup is very underweight, so it is in fact unlikely he had the full three weeks nursing with mum already."

Pictured: Jersey's British Divers Marine Life Rescue team collected Marty the seal pup who is now coming to Guernsey for rehabilitation.

Marty was also showing "severe signs of a respiratory infection along with a cough", so Jersey's New Era Veterinary team agreed to have a look at him, before the decision was made to fly him over to Guernsey so the GSPCA's specialist team could work with him.

Jersey vet Peter Haworth said; "the young underweight male grey seal has a presumed respiratory infection which we have started to treat. He does have a slightly guarded prognosis at this stage, however if we can stabilise him, he will have a much better chance at the GSPCA rehabilitation centre in Guernsey." 

Pictured: Marty McSeal.

Ms de Gruchy said the weather had contributed to Marty's condition and she isn't surprised he washed up.

"Following this weekend's weather and higher tides I was not surprised at all to get a call about a pup washing in. To be honest I was on alert all weekend.

"Although this pup is feisty and alert, his respiratory infection would not help him to survive this brutal time of year in the wild. They have it hard enough when they are weaned at just three weeks of age and have to learn to feed themselves.  It was 100% the right thing to do, to bring this seal pup in for treatment."

Marty is now in Guernsey today, and has taken up residence at the GSPCA where Geoff George and Steve Byrne will lead his care, alongside Andrew, who was rescued in Jersey last month and is said to be recovering well at the animal shelter in St Andrew.

Mr Byrne said Marty is "only 18kgs and appears much older than Andrew, that arrived last month form Jersey. Despite being 6 to 8 weeks of age he has a number of ailments from a chest infection to his emaciated condition.

"Due to the ailments the team at the GSPCA have been extremely busy this morning preparing a completely separate area for Marty so he and Andrew are completely segregated to ensure no cross infection occurs.

"This was a huge undertaking and show cases the need of a new purpose built Wildlife Hospital."

Work on that new hospital is continuing, with details at gspca.org.gg.

Pictured top: Marty McSeal is feisty but now under the care of vets before being given treatment at the GSPCA.