Mystery seal pup washed up on Dublin beach

Seal pup at Skerries. Credit Johnny Woodlock

On Wed. 30th of March a volunteer from the Irish Seal Sanctuary (ISS) was informed by local gardai that a seal pup had been reported stranded in Skerries, Co. Dublin.

A young female grey seal was on the beach being watched over by several concerned members of the public. The pup had first been seen at about 2 pm. when it had been watched as the tide came in. When it did not swim out to sea when the tide retreated, it was harassed by some dogs so it was decided to contact the Irish Seal Sanctuary.

The ISS volunteer determined that it was a young female grey seal of about five or six months old that was unusually small for her age. He also noted a tag in her left hind flipper, which said "Inform London Zoo". This was unusual in that it was the first tagged seal reported to the seal Sanctuary. The tag itself was not the usual type of tag used on seals, so he concluded that this pup had been previously rehabilitated, possibly in Portaferry Co. Down, where they treat seal pups in trouble prior to releasing them.

Mystery surrounds the tag found on the seal.

Once at the ISS a medical check revealed that the pup was suffering from a heavy parasite load and was very underweight, but otherwise in good health. However the tag needed to be removed as it had been incorrectly put on and had cut into one of the seals "toes" on its flippers; this injury was possibly restricting active swimming thus contributing to the seals poor.

When contacted London Zoo said that they knew nothing about the seal and added that they did not use the type of tag found on the seal. The Sea Mammal Researh Unit, now based in St Andrews University, also said they knew nothing about this seal. Other rehabilitation groups around both the U.K. and Ireland were contacted but no-one seems to know who put the tag on the seal.

The only conclusion that ISS can make to is that the pup was treated by some well meaning individual as a small pup who the tagged it.

But the questions remain, where did they get the tag? Where was it released?

Copyright words and photos Johnny Woodlock