A SEAL pup that was separated from its mother has been flown to the UK for rehabilitation – after its rescuers found it halfway up a hill on the Island’s east coast.
The pup, named “Fliquet”, was initially spotted behind St Catherine’s Breakwater on Saturday and was being periodically monitored by members of the local branch of British Divers Marine Life Rescue.
Evidently tired of being battered by the tide, the newborn swam to a nearby slipway in Fliquet Bay, came ashore and – unbeknownst to its observers – travelled halfway up a hill.
It was found under a car in someone’s garage and taken to the New Era veterinary hospital.
Usually, Fliquet – believed to be just a few days-old – would have been transferred into the care of Geoff George, head of marine mammals at the GSPCA.
However, as the Guernsey facility is currently undergoing refurbishments, the BDMLR team needed to get the pup to RSPCA Mallydams in the UK.
Fortunately, a UK-registered charity called Civil Air Support, which uses volunteer pilots to offer air support for agencies or individuals, was able to provide a flight.
Donna de Gruchy, the Jersey co-ordinator for BDMLR, said: “We are grateful to Civil Air Support for providing the transport and also to the RSPCA for finding a space.”
Commenting on the pup’s east-coast adventure, she added: “You don’t expect that at all, but he was on a mission to find food and his mum – I can’t believe how far he got.”
