Three rescued seal pups cared for at sanctuary

New arrivals Monarch, Tiger Moth and Caterpillar are being cared for at the Cornish Seal Sanctuary

The Cornish Seal Sanctuary has admitted three injured seal pups to its hospital in Gweek.

Monarch, alongside Caterpillar and Tiger Moth, was rescued by British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) on 14 November in Port Isaac.

He was malnourished with a swollen left flipper that medics were concerned could be fractured.

Monarch has since had an X-ray on his flipper and has started antibiotic treatment for an infection.

'Crucial role'

Sanctuary curator Tamara Cooper said "Monarch is doing well, and after a somewhat uncertain start he’s now in the best place to recover from his nasty flipper infection and recuperate fully before moving into our nursery pools."

She thanked the "passionate" teams at BDMLR for their "crucial role in rescuing and caring for these fragile seal pups".

A specialist BDMLR facility also served as an overflow centre, offering pups "vital support when our hospital reaches capacity", she said.

More than 40 pups have been rescued so far this pupping season which runs from late August to January.