grey seal release 27th of March 2009

March 27th was a fantastic day,the hospital was a hive of activity all hands on deck for our first mass release.Luckily the release site is not too far away from the hospital so minimum travel stress for the pups.It was a very emotional day for all the volunteers involved as Roxy was ready to go,a day many of us did not think we would see.As you can see from the photos the pups are all healthy weights 40kg +.

Luna was first in the water but surprisingly spent lots of time playing with Frosty just a few metres of shore,Luna may have been the smallest pup but was the most ferocious and did bully the others.nipping there flippers if she wanted on the haul-out.Frosty on the other hand was the most gentle of the grey seals who was seen pushing Pickle on to the haul-out when he was unwell,then lying next to him in what seemed a protective manner and would not allow any other seal on the haul-out.

Marley hit the water and sped off only to be seen as a dot in the distance,which is a normal behaviour for a grey seal on release.
Breeze played in the seaweed in the shore before swimming off into the deeper water he was spotted porpoising further out in the bay.

Roxy was the triumph of the grey season for all at the hospital having overcome her dreadful injuries she swam over to the rocks covered in seaweed and played for an hour,sticking her head in the water under the seaweed and generally enjoying being back home once more.

We would like to thank all the medics who have helped us in the hospital over the last months :Tracey, Jim, Jane, Kelly and Jenny and Paul Laird(who travelled to the frozen north and gave up their Christmas).We also thank all the medics who have braved the vicious Caithness weather to pick up seals in those pitch black stormy nights.

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