Stranded grey seal rescued in Flamborough
A grey seal which became stranded on cliffs at Flamborough has been rescued by the RSPCA and Humberside Fire & Rescue.
A grey seal which became stranded on the cliffs at Selwicks Bay in Flamborough has been rescued by the RSPCA and Humberside Fire and Rescue Service.
The the large bull seal - weighing an estimated 60kg and around 4 feet long - was reported to the RSPCA on Tuesday (19th January).
RSPCA Inspector Tom Hutton said:
“This poor, frightened seal probably arrived on those rocks during high tide. But as the tide went out and the sea level dropped, he lost his chance to swim away, and was left high and dry about 12 feet up on the ledge.
“We were advised that the seal would probably float himself off it at the next high tide, but perhaps he lost his nerve, as he was still up there on Wednesday. We couldn’t leave him any longer, so due to his awkward location, we asked Humberside Fire & Rescue for their expert assistance to safely scale the rocks.
“With the help of a ladder, my colleague Inspector Claire Little, a member of the Fire & Rescue team and I climbed up onto the ledge where the seal had become stranded. He was too big - and too stressed - for us to get him into a seal bag. Instead, with a little encouragement, we were able to gently coax him down the rocks, until he arrived safely at the bottom.
“We quickly assessed him for injuries. Luckily, he was none the worse for his clifftop ordeal and was soon back with his companions in the seal colony. We’d like to thank the members of public who reported the seal’s situation to us and express our gratitude to Humberside Fire & Rescue for their expert help.”
The RSPCA says if you are concerned about a seal, observe from a distance. Please keep other animals, such as dogs, away from the animal, and never return the seal to the water yourself.
If you have observed the seal for at least 24 hours and are concerned about it please contact the RSPCA for advice on 0300 1234 999. If you are concerned about a pup or if the pup looks sick or injured, or is on a busy public beach, stay at a safe distance and also contact the RSPCA’s emergency line.