A Great Friday for Marty McSeal

Saturday 20 April 2019

Another of the many seal pups cared for by the GSPCA has been successfully released back into the wild, months after being rescued from Jersey's coastline, where he was found on the brink of starvation.

Marty McSeal - as the pup was named - now looks like a 'fat sausage' so the expert wardens at Guernsey's animal shelter decided yesterday's bank holiday was the ideal opportunity to take him back home.

He didn't need his DeLorean though, as a Jersey family provided the transport for his release back into the wild at Les Écréhous.

Pictured: Marty's trip back to Jersey yesterday. 

Previously underweight and very poorly, Marty was given the go ahead to go back to Jersey last week.

This came after several months of care from the GSPCA, which saw him recover from a serious respiratory infection and a cough that he was suffering when he was found stranded on Green Island beach in December after a storm. At that time he was described as feisty and needed care when handling.

Now weighing in at 51kg, having gained 33kg whilst in the GSPCA’s care, the pup was seen happily swimming in the sea yesterday. 

The GSPCA has had a number of seals to look after in recent years including the six it's cared for so far in 2019.

GSPCA Manager Steve Byrne said it's “the busiest [the Shelter] has ever been looking after what were all starving animals close to death when they were first rescued” and that they “are delighted” that Marty is “the first… ready to be returned to the wild".

Whilst at the Shelter, Marty joined another younger pup found stranded in Jersey who was later named Andrew who is also on the road to recovery after being found severely malnourished and abandoned by his mother.

Pictured: Marty was found stranded on Green Island beach after a storm.

Marty and Andrew were just two of the seal pup group receiving care from the Shelter along with Hannah, Mambo, Sealia and Gully who were also rescued from Guernsey’s coastline.

The fact that the Shelter’s resources have been stretched so thin by the onslaught of stranded seal pups has prompted them to begin fundraising for a new Wildlife Hospital which is ongoing with details on the GSPCA website. 

Pictured top: Marty swimming off Jersey yesterday. Image from the GSPCA.