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Abandoned seal pup cared for at Caithness rehab centre after Highland rescue mission


By Iona M.J. MacDonald

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The seal pup rescued. Pictures taken by medics involved.
The seal pup rescued. Pictures taken by medics involved.

An abandoned grey seal pup is in the care of a Caithness rehab centre after being thrown a lifeline thanks to a network of Highland rescuers.

British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) leapt into action after learning of the two-week old pup called Mylo, which had been abandoned by its mother for a period of 24 hours.

Mylo was rescued on the Isle of Lewis by BDMLR Hebrides medics, James Myles and Deborah Vickers.

The next step was to take him to Stornoway from where he was transported across The Minch to Ullapool by CalMac Ferries.

Mylo as a pup with baby fur. Picture: Caithness Seal Rehab and Release.
Mylo as a pup with baby fur. Picture: Caithness Seal Rehab and Release.

But that was far from the end of its unexpected journey.

After arriving on the mainland, Mylo was handed over to Wester Ross medic Karen Otter, and then driven across to Golspie. And in the last leg of his epic journey, the pup was handed to Caithness and Sutherland medic Rhionna Mackay, who relayed him to Caithness Seal Rehab and Release in Brough.

Mylo arrived in the Caithness Seal Rehab and Release underweight and a bit dehydrated, aged only two weeks old.

Wester Ross BDMLR said that the rescue was a real team effort and thanked everyone who had played a part.

Mylo, now moulted all of his baby fur as a grown-up. Picture:Caithness Rehab and Release.
Mylo, now moulted all of his baby fur as a grown-up. Picture:Caithness Rehab and Release.

Clare Boycott Boardman from Caithness Seal Rehab and Release has been looking after Mylo.

She said: "This little boy has had quite a trip. Mylo is doing well, he arrived in good health and is a very feisty young bull seal. He's taking fish soup and gaining weight, and tomorrow he's going to have a paddling pool and whole fish, we will see what he thinks of that – he’s strong enough to give it a go.

"He has moulted fully now and is no longer a white fluffy seal pup but a more grown up boy. It will be a fair while yet before he progresses to the outside pool, but will progress to our grassed area with paddling pools when I feel he is strong and old enough.

"The long trip does not seem to have affected him at all."


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