Seal sanctuary's oldest resident dies aged 44
The Cornish Seal Sanctuary says Babyface 'was loved so much'
The Cornish Seal Sanctuary's paying tribute to its oldest resident, who's died aged 44.
Babyface was already thirty-three years old when he arrived from Colchester Zoo in 2010.
He celebrated his 44th birthday in June, but started to become unwell in September.
The Sancutary says, "As one of the most gentle and calm seals here at the Sanctuary, Babyface has not only been a great support system for his pool mates but also for our animal care team.
"He loved his interactions with the team, with whom he built strong and trusting relationships over the years. He was always there when you needed someone to talk to and had a lot of enthusiasm for his daily training sessions – most likely due to his enthusiasm for fish!
"In fact, Babyface was always a great eater and loved trying lots of different fish (unlike his fussy pool mates who like only herring and mackerel). When he ate, he would stick his tongue out after he swallowed each fish which always brought laughter to the team and our volunteers.
"A long and happy life"
"He was also very well behaved and eager to learn new things, from having his teeth checked to having his nails clipped, and was always first to come out of the pool at the beginning of a session for a nose tickle and a head scratch."
"Babyface had a heart of gold and brought so much joy and many smiles to the team. He had a very long and happy life here at the Sanctuary, where he was loved so much.
"The team will now be spending lots of time with Bo, Buddy and Jarvis over the coming weeks, who are going to miss their dad and pool mate, making sure they have lots of enrichment during this time."