The pool is drained so that the pups are easier to catch. The Sanctuary staff had made sure that the seals have remained wild animals, so it is not an easy job to get them into the pens. The staff need to use boards to protect themselves from the seals sharp teeth, as they finally get them into the pens. The pups are weighed to check that they have reached the minimum release weight of 50kg, and their identification tags are checked, so we can keep a record of who has been released. Between two and six pups are released at a time, as near as possible to where they were rescued.
Ideal releases are in the early morning, when the beaches are quiet and the sea is calm.
Often seals are confused and need gentle coaxing down to the waters edge. Some will play in the surf, while others swim off immediately into the distance. Click here to go back to the first page.