A clutch of seals being found on the beach in Sussex is baffling wildlife experts.
An injured Grey Seal pup was rescued from Hove beach on Monday afternoon and treated for flipper wounds.
Just three days earlier, another Grey Seal was rescued from Eastbourne beach.
And East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service (WRAS) had also been called to at least two other Grey Seals moulting along the Sussex coast.
WRAS medic Trevor Weeks said: “This is a very unusual situation to be getting so many juvenile grey seals on the East Sussex and Brighton and Hove coastline.
“We normally rescue one every two to three years not two in three days! We really are not sure what is happening out there.
“East Sussex is well known for its Common Seals but Grey Seals are far less common on this part of the coast.”
The seal pup, which was rescued by both WRAS and British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) was initially treated at East Sussex WRAS’s hospital at Whitesmith near Lewes, where it was tubed, had its wounds cleaned and given medication.
WRAS only has facilities to hold seals overnight and they normally go to RSPCA Mallydams Wood at Hastings where there are specialist facilities for seals.
But Mallydams was full so BDMLR phoned round to find another facility, the nearest being South Essex Wildlife Hospital.
After a further tubing the seal was transported yesterday to Essex to its new home for treatment. It will be released when well enough.
East Sussex WRAS is in the process of building up funds to hopefully expand into new and bigger facilities, which it hopes will have better seal facilities.
If anyone sees a seal on the beach which they are concerned about they are urged to call BDMLR on 01825 765546.
