Nantwich rescue centre prepares for seal rescues

Rob Scrivens says each seal eats about three kilos of fish each day

A wildlife centre is preparing to take in more wild seal pups ahead of their breeding season.

RSPCA Stapeley Grange in Nantwich, Cheshire, is one of the few centres in the UK equipped to look after baby seals, and is already caring for eight pups.

It is on standby to care for more young seals in the coming weeks when the breeding season for grey seals begins.

Staff at the RSPCA centre said they can average about 40 seals each year.

Stapeley Grange is one of a few specialist rescue centres

The common seal season starts in June and July, it said, but it is seeing rising numbers and it costs between £450 to £500 to care for each seal as they eat about three kilos of fish every day.

The grey seals will start arriving in late September, and the centre may continue to see them until December, said Rob Scrivens, wildlife supervisor.

"The majority of the seals that we get here at Stapeley are normally from North or Mid Wales," he added.

"We do see a big shift in the climate change and if we do get that really unsettling weather it can really affect them a lot."

Tamsyn Overton said seal pups can often have been without their mum for some time and may be injured and dehydrated

The centre covers one of the largest areas in the UK, from Cumbria across Wales and into Lincolnshire.

Tamsyn Overton, veterinary surgeon, added: "We see a number of orphaned seal pups here, and they've often not been with their mum for a period of time and they have been struggling out in the wild.

"Essentially when they come in to us and we triage them, we have to rehydrate them, often warm them up and then treat them for any infections they might have."

Most of the seals arrive from North Wales