A rare black seal pup is recovering at Cornwall Seal Sanctuary in Gweek after being found abandoned on Porthellick in the Isles of Scilly. The baby seal, only around 2 weeks old, has been named ‘Badger’ by staff at the sanctuary and arrived in a sorry state with a number of injuries which were probably caused by other seals who rejected him due to his unusual colouring.
The good news is that after as course of antibiotics and plenty of attention from the staff at Gweek, Badger is making a strong recovery and is now well enough to be moved to the centre’s Nursery Pools where guests staying at The Valley’s 5 Star cottages Cornwall will be able to catch a glimpse when visiting over the Christmas holidays.
Team Supervisor Tamara Cooper is hopeful that the little pup will be fit and independent enough by March next year to resume life in the wild. Commenting on his unusual colouring she added, “Black pups are very rare and more usually found in the Scottish population. We haven’t had a black pup in Cornwall since 2007.”