A GREY seal pup named after actress Judi Dench has been released back into the wild along with fellow rescuees, Owen Wilson and Jack Black.
Today, Judi the pup has been returned to the wild in the first grey seal pup of the season, after being found injured and dehydrated back in September.
In line with the Cornish Seal Sanctuary’s theme this year – actors and actresses – the pup was named after a visit to the sanctuary from Dame Judi Dench on the day of her arrival.
The actress shared how excited she was to meet the rescue that shares her name, adopting both pups Judi Dench and Owen Wilson to support the charity.
Finty Williams, Dame Judi Dench’s daughter said: “We felt so very lucky to see them both and ma is very honoured that she has a little seal, bounding about in the sea, that shares her name.”
Tamara Cooper, Curator for the Cornish Seal Sanctuary said: “It hasn’t been an easy start to the pup season, with a number of pups who came to the Sanctuary with complicated issues early in the autumn”.
Tamara adds: “Our hospital continues to be incredibly busy, but, with the help of our supporters, our team continues to work hard to return as many seal pups back to the wild as possible”
The pups will now have the best chance for survival, after being nursed back to health and ready to face life in the wild.
As winter approaches and the weather gets worse, the Cornish Seal Sanctuary is pleading with beachgoers to take precautions, advising that dogs are kept on leads and children are kept away from seals on the beach.
Tamara adds: “Human disturbance is a huge problem for our seal pup population, and we’d recommend anyone heading to their local beaches this winter to keep dogs on lead until checking the beach is clear, and keeping their distance if it isn’t”.
Each year, the sanctuary will see over 70 pups come through their doors from September to March, with care for each pup costing an average of £2,000 – £3,000.
If you believe a pup is in distress or needs medical attention, you can find the signs to look out for and what to do next.
