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On this page you can find out all about the progress of our rescued seals, pregnant mums etc.

June 2010

The first common seal pup of 2010 was rescued on the 22nd of June. We received a telephone call to say there was a seal washed ashore at Chapel St. Leonards, about 7 miles from Skegness, and went to investigate. We found a small seal pup about four days old, slightly underweight and dehydrated. The main problem, though, was that the pup was orphaned and without its mothers milk it would starve to death. So we brought it back to our Seal Hospital for care and attention. One of the first things we do is to give them rehydration fluids via a tube directly into their stomachs and then a lukewarm bath. After a good nights sleep she was ready for some food and so we gave her small but regular feeds throughout the next few days and now she is doing very well. when she has put on some more weight she will be transferred outside to the rearing pool and eventually released back into the wild. This years theme for the names of rescued seals is Disney characters, so this one has been named Daisy, after Daisy Duck (Donalds girlfriend)! See pic right of Daisy the seal enjoying her first bath.
We think three of our resident seals, Titch, Franny and Victoria are pregnant so so we are expecting the flapping of tiny flippers sometime at the end of July.

May 2010

Local fishermen brought us a surprise of a huge edible crab (see pic right). They had caught it in their crab pots and thought it was just too good to eat so it is now in our large sealife exhibit.
Also in the Aquarium our new Reef Tank is now up and running. As well as tropical marine fish it contains living corals and invertebrates such as sea urchins, starfish and hermit crabs. We hope to help raise awareness of the threats to coral reefs caused by rising sea temperatures.

April 2010

April sees the return of two of our "seasonal" exhibits. The rare breeds Soay Sheep are overwintered inland as part of our larger breeding project and a select few come to Natureland for the summer. (See pic of Soay ram, right). The tropical butterflies also return in April. During the winter, even in our Floral Palace, there is not enough heat or light for the butterflies to fly so new supplies from butterfly farms abroad are shipped in to start us off for the summer season.
One seal rescued this month. Butterfly was washed ashore at Anderby Creek suffering from lungworm, dehyration, wounds to her rear flippers and also was very underweight. After treatment in the seal hospital she is now in the rearing pool.
Wolf, the grey seal pup rescued in January, was released back into the sea on the 21st April. He was extremely small when he was rescued and also slow to learn how to feed. Once in the rearing pool he used to amuse visitors and staff by being very vocal and "singing" to us - he was a real character!

March 2010

On the 4th of March we rescued a 3 month old grey seal pup from the beach at Chapel Point. He was underweight, had an infected left eye and lungworm, for which he is having treatment in the seal hospital.
Grunt, a grey seal pup rescued in January was released back into the wild on the 3rd of March.

February 2010

Just two seal pups rescued this month. On the 2nd of February we rescued a grey seal pup from the Lagoon Walk area of Skegness beach.She was named Piranha - all this years rescued seals have been named after fish and this one was particularly snappy! About two months old it was very dehydrated, underweight, had breathing problems due to lungworm and also had traces of oil pollution on its stomach and flippers. The oil was cleaned off with plenty of washing up liquid and rehydration fluid and worming jabs were administered and she was soon looking a lot better. She made such a quick recovery that she was able to be released back into the sea on the 22nd February. Another pup rescued on the 9th February did not make it over the first night with us, despite our best efforts.
Three seals have been released back into the wild this month. Aswell as Piranha (see above), Snapper and Dab were also released back into the sea.
Pebbles our new penguin chick continues to do well. We are still trying to get him/her feeding on its own. The exciting news is that Pip and Pepsi , the parents, have produced another two eggs. Unfortunately one got broken but they are sitting tight on the remaining one. If the egg is fertile it should hatch around Easter time so we could have our very own Easter penguin chick!
February is never a busy time for visitors but because of all the cold weather and snow (see pic. above) it has been quieter than ever. However this gives us time to catch up on things like maintenance and new exhibits. We have been working on a brand new coral reef exhibit for the aquarium which should be up and running in a few weeks and renewing fencing and creating a new seating area in the Floral Palace.

January 2010

The penguin chick is doing well and has been named "Pebbles". We do not know its sex yet so we picked a name that would suit boy or girl! The parents have been feeding the chick and it is now as big as them. In the wild it would now have to fend for itself so we are teaching it to feed on its own. See pic right of Pebbles.
Five seals have been rescued this month:
On the 2nd January we rescued a common seal from the beach at Ingoldmells. It was about 5 months old and was suffering from lungworm, dehydration and an eye infection. It has had a worming injection and antibiotics in the seal hospital also rehydration fluids. Progressing well at the moment. Named Fox.
Another common seal was rescued from the beach at Winthorpe on the 10th January. This one was named Cisco and had lungworm and was exhausted. After treatment for the lungworm and some rest he was released on the 18th January.
Our first grey seal pup of the year was rescued on the 13th January from the beach at Chapel Point. Weighing only 30lb at approx. 3 weeks old he was very underweight, weak and dehydrated. Named wolf.
The second grey seal pup of the year was rescued on the 23rd of January from the beach at Wolla Bank. Approx. 2 weeks old it was orphaned, underweight and exhausted. Named Grunt.
On the 28th January another grey seal pup was rescued from the beach at our local nature reserve, Gibraltar Point. This one had lungworm and was underweight. Named Snapper. See pic right of Snapper on the beach.
We have released 3 seals back into the wild this month - Cisco, Tang and Pearl.

December 2009

The penguin chick that hatched last month is doing well. The parents (Pip and Pepsi) are doing a great job of brooding it and keeping it warm in the cold weather. They both take turns at feeding the chick and it is getting bigger every day. We have been very careful not to disturb them too much as this is the first chick that this pair have hatched and we do not want them to abandon it. We did manage to get this photo the other day of Pepsi and the chick inside their nest.
On the 13th December we were called out to a seal pup at Gibraltar Point Nature Reserve and, after a very long walk, we found a 6 month old common seal pup which was underweight and had breathing difficulties caused by lungworm. He was taken back to Naturelands seal hospital and after intensive treatment is now responding well. Named Flounder.
On the 15th December we rescued a common seal pup from Skegness beach. Unfortunately it did not survive due to its injuries.
On the 21st December a female common seal pup was washed up on the beach at Chapel St. Leonards. It was exhausted and was breathing very badly due to lungworm. Named Zander.
Just before Christmas, on the 23rd, we were called out to another common seal pup on the beach at Winthorpe. This one had lungworm too but also had injuries caused by being bitten by another seal or dog. Named Dab.
We are closed to the public on Christmas Day and Boxing Day but two members of staff still have to come into work for a couple of hours to feed the animals and check that everything is ok.

November 2009

We have released eleven seal pups this month:
2nd November- Molly, Marlin and Danio.
12th November-Minnow, Damsel, Mullet and Angel.
18th November- Dempsey.
19th November- Cat, Kipper and Jack.
Minnow was a premature pup rescued in June from the bombing range at RAF Wainfleet. Pictured right are staff from RAF Wainfleet and Natureland releasing Minnow back into the sea.
On the 1st November we were called out to a common seal pup on the beach at Chapel Point. It was very weak, suffering from lungworm and had wounds to its rear flippers. It is now recovering well in the seal hospital. Named Nemo.
On the 14th November a member of the public reported a seal pup washed ashore behind Natureland on Skegness beach. When we rescued it we found nylon fishing net around its neck so tight that it had caused a huge wound all the way around its neck. This had to be carefully cut away and the wound cleaned and treated. It is still early days but it seems to be recovering well so far. (See pic right). Named Pearl.
Exciting news - One of the eggs that our penguins have been incubating has hatched! More news in Decembers entry.

October 2009

Oscar and Ray, two pups rescued in July this year , were released back into the sea on 1st October. (see pic right of them emerging from their crates on the beach).
Another two rescued seal pups, Trigger and Moray, were released on the 19th and 26th of October respectively.
Just one common seal pup rescued this month - on the 27th October a pup was reported washed up on the beach behind Butlins to the north of Skegness. This 3 month old pup was very underweight at 35lbs and also suffering from lungworm and exhaustion. Named Tang.

September 2009

We have rescued another six seal pups this month (details below) bringing the total to 23 since the middle of June 2009. At one point we had 14 pups in the Rearing Pool all at the same time! (see pic below). It is quite a job to know which one is which and to make sure that they are all getting their fair share of the fish! Still, we weigh them every week to make sure they are putting on weight and to see when they are ready for release.
1st September- Male, 5 week old seal pup rescued from North Shore beach, Skegness. Underweight, lungworm. Named Danio.
3rd September- Male pup, approx. 5 weeks old, very weak and exhausted with wounds to muzzle. Rescued from Chapel Six Marshes, named Jack
5th September- Another male pup, approx. 6 weeks old, rescued from Lagoon Walk, Skegness beach. Lungworm, exhausted and mouth damage. Named Mackerel.
17th September- 6 week old pup rescued from the beach at Chapel Point, Exhausted, breathing problems, lungworm. Died overnight.
17th September- Male, 6 week old pup rescued from Lagoon Walk, Skegness. Exhausted, lungworm. Named Dempsey
24th September- Female pup, rescued from South beach, Skegness. Underweight, exhausted, wounds to mouth and body. Named Star.
A juvenile Gannet rescued by the RSPCA was also given a temporary home whilst it built up strength before being released.

August 2009

We have had another busy month with seal rescues, see details below:
2nd August - 7 day old pup rescued from Gibraltar Point, very underweight (17lb), very weak and dehydrated with wounds to its head and body - died six days later.
7th August - male common seal pup rescued from North Shore, Skegness. Exhausted and wounds to its mouth. Called Trigger.
15th August - Pup rescued from Chapel Six Marshes, underweight and exhausted, died overnight- pneumonia.
19th August - 3 week old seal pup rescued from the beach at Seacroft Esplanade, orphaned, exhausted, infected wound to jaw. Called Damsel.
20th August - Male pup rescued from Chapel Six Marshes, exhausted, lungworm, dehydrated. Called Marlin.
29th August - 4 week old pup rescued from North Shore, Skegness, mouth infection, exhausted, dehydrated.
31st August - 5 week old seal pup rescued from the beach behind Butlins, infected wound on face, weak, exhausted. Called Angel.
31st August - Another 5 week old pup, rescued from Wolla Bank, underweight with wounds to his face. Called Moray.
All the seals rescued in July (except for Pike- see below) have progressed out of the seal hospital and into the rearing pool. Here they will learn to feed on fish in the water and, once they have reached their target weight, will be released back into the wild.
Pike has continued to have problems with his eye wound and has been moved back into the hospital pool for further treatment. (See pic right of Marlin and Pike in the background.)

July 2009

We have had a very busy month with seal rescues, see below:
4th July - At 8.00pm we were called out to a seal pup stranded on the beach at Chapel St. Leonards. It was reasonably fit and healthy but unfortunately had become seperated from its mother. At this age (approx. 7 days) the pup would still be feeding on its mothers milk for another 3 weeks so if it was left on the beach it would just starve to death. So it was brought back to the seal hospital to join Minnow and has been christened Molly.
6th July - Another orphaned pup washed ashore at Ingoldmells. Approx. 7 days old and weighing 25lbs. A male this time so called Ray.
16th July - Another pup washed up at Gibraltar Point, our local nature reserve. At about 10 days old it was orphaned but also had infected wounds on its body, possibly the result of being bitten by a dog or another seal. After the normal initial treatment we cleaned up the wounds and put the pup on a course of antibiotics. Named Cat.
22nd July - This pup was found on the beach near Lagoon Walk in Skegness. It has injuries to its face and right eye possibly the result of being bitten. Also orphaned. Being treated in the seal hospital with antibiotics and anti inflamatories. Named Pike.
25th July - Another pup washed up at Gib. Point and another with infected wounds to its face and also mouth infection. Treated with antibiotics. Named Remora.
26th July - This pup was found on the beach at Seacroft Esplanade in Skegness. It was orphaned and very thin. Approx. 2 weeks old and weighing 24lb. Named Kipper.
26th July - Yet another pup washed up at Gib. Point. Approx. 2 weeks old, weight 23lb, condition orphaned, underweight and a wound to the mouth. Named Oscar.
Three of the first pups to be rescued have made sufficient progress to be moved outside into the hospital pool - Minnow, Ray and Molly. (See pic of Ray above).

June 2009

June is the begining of the Common Seal pupping season and on the 17th we received a phone call from RAF Wainfleet, our local bombing range. One of their crews had been out onto the range and found a very small seal pup. When we arrived at the control tower they had brought the pup back and we saw that is was a premature pup. We could tell this because it still had its lanugo, white fur that common seal pups usually moult in the womb. We estimated the pups age at 2 days old and it only weighed 17lbs. The normal birthweight for a common seal is approx. 20 - 25lbs. As well as being underweight, the pup was also severely dehydrated. When we returned to Natureland the pup was placed in one of our seal hospital pens and given some rehydration fluid and then allowed to rest. After further rehydration the pup (named Minnow) was introduced to solid food in the form of small herrings fed in small amounts five times a day. Antibiotic tablets are hidden in the fish to complete the pups treatment. After a few days Minnow started to look a lot better and was soon looking for more food so hopefully she will make a full recovery and be able to be released back into the wild in a few weeks time. (See pic of Minnow having her morning bath, above).
On the 26th June we were called out to a seal pup on the beach at Gibraltar Point, our local nature reserve, but when we arrived it was apparent that it was very ill. Despite our best efforts the pup died overnight.
The theme for the names of this years rescued seal pups is FISH!

May 2009

New arrivals to our tropical house are two bearded dragons that have been donated by a local couple who could no longer keep them as pets. They are hand tame and we have had them out in the sunshine in the recent good weather. (See pic right).
Three members of Natureland staff recently took part in the rescue of a Chinese Water Deer that had got into the waterway on Skegness seafront and, because of the sheer sides, could not get out again. With the assistance of members of the public the deer was pulled out of the water and , after a check over, was released back into the wild at a more remote place.
Our tropical butterfly exhibit starts in April each year but always takes a little while to build up the numbers of butterflies. The recent sunny weather has been perfect for them and they have started to breed already. Customers are amazed by the diversity of shapes and colours of these beautiful creatures.
No seal rescues or releases this month - this is our "quiet time" but we are preparing for the common seal pupping time at the end of June which is when we start to get busy with call outs to orphaned seal pups.

April 2009

On the 2nd April we released the grey seal pup that was rescued on the 31st March. He had got rid of the worms and was very lively so we decided to get him back into the sea as soon as possible.
Waveny, a grey seal pup rescued in February, was released on the 7th April.
Wharfe, another grey seal pup rescued in February, was released on the 23rd April.
New arrivals at Natureland in April were our two grey parrots Toby and Chico. They were transferred from the Parrot Sanctuary at Friskney, about 10 miles from Skegness. The Parrot Sanctuary rehomes unwanted and abused parrots from all over the UK and is home to hundreds of parrots. Toby and Chico came already equipped with a reasonable vocabulary and are always whistling and sometimes swearing! (See pic right).

March 2009

Dart ( the seal with the plastic ring stuck around his neck) has made a fantastic recovery. Initial treatment in the Seal Hospital involved keeping the wound clean and dry. When he was ready we moved him to our Rearing Pool where the sea (salt) water helped to heal the wound and on the 12th March he was healthy and fit enough to be released back into the sea along with Glen, another seal rescued in February. I think we all thought that Dart would not recover from the wounds he came in with when he was rescued so it was really good to see him swim off back into the sea. (See pic of the release - right, with new staff members Curtis and Laura).
Unfortunately the penguin egg that we were waiting for to hatch was infertile - so hopefully better luck next time.
Lea, a grey seal pup rescued in February, was released on the 24th March.
On the 31st March we attended a seal on the beach at Skegness just behind Natureland. It was a large (71lbs) grey seal pup that just refused to go back into the sea, so to examine it further it was admitted to our seal hospital. It had some small wounds on its back and we suspected a case of lungworm. We treated the wounds and gave the seal a worming injection.
Wharfe and Waveney, two grey seals rescued in February, are making good progress and have been transferred from the seal hospital to the rearing pool.

February 2009

On the 3rd February we were called out to a grey seal pup stranded on the beach at Chapel St. Leonards. When we arrived we saw that it had some sort of plastic ring stuck around its neck. It had obviously been there for some time because as the seal had grown fatter the plastic ring had bitten into the flesh causing his head and neck to swell. It must have been very painful and only a matter of time before it eventually killed the seal. Fortunately we have been able to cut the ring off but it has left a very badly infected wound. On our vets advice we are cleaning the wound daily and hoping that it will soon begin to heal. The vet thought that it was unlikely that stitching the wound would be successful because it was in such an awkward place. So we are keeping our fingers crossed and doing our very best. (See pic right) Named Dart.
On the 7th February we rescued a grey seal pup from North Shore, Skegness that had been caught up in oil pollution. He was about 10 weeks old and was also very exhausted. After a good nights rest we set about the tricky job of cleaning the oil off. It is a two person job - one to control the snapping jaws and the other to carefully clean off the oil. Called Glen.
Another grey seal pup was washed ashore on the 10th February at Ingoldmells. This one was very underweight and had cuts around one eye and flippers. We treated the wounds and after a few days rest she is now progressing well. Called Lea.
Two more grey seal pups were rescued from the beach at Ingoldmells on the 24th and 25th of February. They both had symptons of lungworm (irregular breathing) and had small infected wounds. They have both been given treatment for the worms and a course of antibiotics. Called Warfe and Waveny.
Two seals have been released back into the wild this month - Tweed and Dee.

January 2009

On the 7th January we released Don and Ant back into the sea. Don was a grey seal pup rescued in December and, after his initial treatment, made rapid progress. Ant was a common seal pup rescued in October. Nene, another rescued grey pup, was released on the 21st January.
Just one seal rescued in January. On the 17th we were called out to a grey seal pup washed ashore at Chapel Point. We arrived to find quite a big pup about 6 weeks old with an infected cut under his eye and in an exhausted state. After some TLC in Naturelands Seal Hospital he is making a good recovery. Named Tweed.
We have received an email from Pieterburen Seal Sanctuary in Holland. Apparently, Bain, a seal that we released on the 24th December has gone all the way over to Holland! He is in good health but a little on the thin side, so they are feeding him up before releasing him again.
A Black-throated Diver was brought to us after it had crash landed on a frozen pond. It had blood around its beak but after a thorough examination it was healthy enough to be released a couple of days later. (see pic right).

December 2008

Four seals have been rescued this month:
5 th December - A grey seal pup from North Shore, Skegness, 4 wks old, damaged front flipper. Named Don. (see pic right).
17th December - Another grey pup from North Shore, 4wks old, Underweight, cut by right eye. Named Nene.
17th December - Common seal pup from Trunch Lane, 5mths old, Underweight, lungworm. Named Lymn.
29th December - Grey seal pup rescued from the beach behind Butlins, 6 weeks old, underweight, exhausted, eye infection, small cuts to body and flippers. Named Dee.
Four seals have been released back into the sea this month:
2nd December- Tees, a common seal pup that we rescued in September.
17th December- Clyde and Brent. Clyde was rescued in September and Brent in October.
24th December- Bain, a grey seal pup rescued in November.
All the released seals are tagged with a colour coded and numbered tag.

November 2008

On the 13th November Calder, a seal pup rescued in August, was released back into the sea after a successful recovery.
On 26th November we were called out to rescue a seal pup from Trunch Lane, Chapel St. Leonards. On arrival we could see that he was very underweight and exhausted plus, he had cuts to his muzzle and back. This was our first rescued grey seal pup of 2008 and he was approximayely 4 weeks old. We could guess his age because he had just moulted all the white fur that grey seals have when they are born. They moult at about 3 to 4 weeks of age just before they have to go into the sea. He was transferred to Naturelands Seal Hospital where we treated his wounds, put him on acourse of antibiotics and gave him a nice warm bath. He has been named Bain.
A camera crew from "Escape to the Country" plus presenter Tim Vincent visited Natureland to record for a programme to be shown in the new year.
See the photos of the seals and penguins enjoying the snow on the 23rd November 2008!!!

October 2008

Four Common Seal pups have been rescued in October, details below:
01.10.08 Ant, rescued from Winthorpe beach, age ~ 10 weeks, underweight, lungworm
13.10.08 Ribble, rescued from Wolla Bank, age ~ 10 weeks, flipper wounds, lungworm
20.10.08 Brent, rescued from Butlins beach, age ~ 12 weeks, underweight, lungworm
21.10.08 Eden, rescued form Winthorpe beach, age ~ 12 weeks, underweight, lungworm
As you can see the common ailment with all of these seals is lungworm. This is a parasite that lives in the seals breathing tubes and can make it impossible for them to hold their breath long enough to dive under water to catch food. So, the seal gets weaker and weaker until it is washed ashore where it would eventually die. The fortunate ones are found and brought to us for treatment. We give them a jab and in the next few days the worms are coughed up and the seal starts to recover.
Two seals that were rescued in the summer, Ouse and Steeping, were released back into the sea on the 21st of October after making a good recovery.
Ribble, rescued on 13.10.08, was well enough to be released on the 23rd October after getting rid of his lungworm.
We have also rescued a juvenile Gannet that was washed ashore exhausted and is at the moment recovering on the penguin pool.

September 2008

September is the month when we start to release some of the rescued seal pups back into the wild. After their initial treatment in Naturelands Seal Hospital and fattening up in the Rearing Pool they have now reached their target weight for release (60lb). Some of these pups were only a few days old when we rescued them and all of them had become seperated from their mothers and washed ashore, where they would have eventually died. So it is really good to see them looking so fit and healthy and ready to go! Just to remind you, all this years rescued pups have been named after rivers.
Welland, Thames and Tyne were released on the 4th September.
Trent and Kennet were released on the 19th September.
Witham, Haven and Humber were released on the 30th September. (See pic. above).
On the 2nd of September we rescued a seal pup from the beach in Skegness. She was underweight and had a bloody and swollen mouth. After treatment in the hospital and a dose of antibiotics she is now recovering in the hospital pool. She has been named Tees.
The next day (3rd September) we rescued another pup from the beach at Seacroft in Skegness. This one had lost quite a bit of his fur, was underweight and had wounds to his muzzle and flippers. This one has been called Clyde and is also in the hospital pool.
Two other pups rescued on the 14th and 16th September from North Shore beach and Seacroft beach unfortunately did not survive.
So, after all the releases, we have five seals still recuperating at Natureland. Calder, Tees and Clyde in the hospital pool and Ouse and Steeping in the rearing pool.

August 2008

Don't forget to watch BBCs Inside Out programme going out in late September/early October when Natureland will be featured in one of the shows, about the work we do rescuing and rehabilitating orphaned and injured seal pups.
On the 10th August we rescued a common seal pup from the beach at our local nature reserve, Gibraltar Point. She was about two weeks old and had been orphaned (common seals usually suckle from their mothers for 3 - 4 weeks). She was also exhausted, underweight and had a nasty mouth infection. Her home for the next couple of weeks was Naturelands Seal Hospital where she had treatment for her wounds and regular feeds of herrings to fatten her up a bit.She was then transferred outside to the hospital pool but after a while she started to look poorly again and had to be taken inside. It appeared that she might have the symptoms of pneumonia which can kill a young seal very quickly so we immediately put her on antibiotics and steroids. At the time of writing she has made a slight recovery but is still receiving treatment in the hospital. Called Steeping. (See pic right of Steeping being fed in her hospital pen).
All of the pups rescued in July have now been transferred to the rearing pool where they are taught to feed on fish from the water and are fattened up ready for release back into the wild. We weigh them at regular intervals and when they reach their target weight, are feeding on fish in the water and have recovered from any illness and injuries they are ready for release. Before they go back into the sea we put individually numbered tags into their rear flippers so that if they turn up anywhere else they can be identified. (See pic right of two pups fast asleep, sunbathing in the rearing pool).
Unfortunately, both our pregnant resident seals, Franny and Victoria, gave birth to still born pups. We were all very upset and so were the mothers, but they soon got over it and are now swimming around with the other seals as if it never happened.
We have rescued three other pups this month that also did not survive. Two of them were that ill when they came in that despite our best efforts they had died within a couple of days and the other one succumbed to pneumonia.
On a happier note, we successfully rescued a sparowhawk that had been hit by a car and ended up at the bottom of a deep, sheer sided ditch. We had to carefully climb down the side before catching it in our net. It was still stunned but we could not see any other injuries. After a couple of days rest it was still not able to fly properly so it has been transferred to the RSPCA for further treatment.
On the 21st August we were called out to a common seal pup stranded on the beach at Chapel Six Marshes to the north of Skegness. This male pup was about three weeks old and was very underweight,had a high temperature and had a massive mouth infection. He is currently under treatment in the seal hospital. Called Calder.

July 2008

On the 1st July we were called to a stranded seal pup at Gibraltar Point Nature Reserve. It was in quite a remote spot but Richard and George managed to reach it in the Land Rover and get it back to Naturelands seal hospital. It was approximately 2 days old and orphaned from its mother. (See pic right). Named Tyne.
Another pup was washed ashore at Gibraltar Point on 7th July. He was orphaned, underweight and had very sore eyes due to the windblown sand. He was approximately 5 days old when rescued and we have named him Humber.
Just three days later we rescued another pup from Gibraltar Point again! This one we named Trent and was orphaned and underweight.
On the 18th July we were called out to a stranded seal pup on North Shore beach, Skegness not very far from Natureland. At only about 7 days old he was another orphan but also had an abscess on his muzzle. Named Kennet.
A BBC film crew has been filming at Natureland for a programme called "Inside Out" to be screened in September. They were hoping to film the rescue of a seal pup by Natureland as this had never been done before. Fortunately for them we got called out to a seal pup in distress at Chapel Six Marshes at about 7.00pm on 30th July. This female pup was approximately 14 days old and weighed 22lb. It had lots of infected puncture wounds around its mouth and muzzle which could be the result of being bitten by another seal or a dog. At the time of writing this pup is undergoing treatment in our Seal Hospital. Named Ouse.

June 2008

June is the month that the common seals in The Wash (between Lincolnshire and Norfolk) start to give birth to their pups. Unfortunately some pups become seperated from their mothers and are washed ashore on the coastline where, without help, they would slowly starve to death. So, when we get a phone call reporting a stranded pup, we get there as soon as possible. Four pups have been rescued in June, details below. This years theme for the names of the pups is rivers.
On the 22nd June two seal pups were reported swimming in the river at Boston (approx. 24 miles from Skegness). They had been spotted by a man working on a boat who had seen them for the past three days. It sounded as if they were small pups that may have been orphaned so we asked them to let us know when they next saw them. At 9.30pm that night we got a phone call from them to say that they had spotted one of the pups so, whilst they looked for the other one, we set off to Boston. On arrival we found that they had managed to catch both pups, one was in the back of a 4x4 and the other on the river bank. The pups were very thin and dehydrated through lack of mothers milk so it was a good job that we got to them in time. Many thanks to the people that helped with the rescue! We got back to Natureland and the pups were given rehydration fluids via a stomach tube and left to rest. They were both approximately 5 days old when rescued and only weighed 16.5lbs and 18.8lbs. The normal birthweight is usually 20 - 25lbs.They have been named Witham and Haven after two local rivers. They are doing well so far. (See pic. right of one of the Boston pups).
Three days later we rescued another pup from the beach at Skegness, just behind Natureland. It was only about a day old but there was no mother seal to be seen so we had to bring it in. It weighed 22lb. Named Welland.
On the 30th June another pup was reported on Skegness beach, near the clock tower. Orphaned, underweight and only 4 days old, we brought it back to join the others in the seal hospital and given the name Thames.

May 2008

Our butterfly house has had some new arrivals this month. They are the giant Atlas Moths which have a wingspan of up to 30cm/12ins. They come from the forests of Asia and are made to feel at home by the humidity and 30 degree temperature of Naturelands butterfly house. It is so named because the patterns on its wings resemble the contour lines on a map. The Atlas Moth doesn't eat at all throughout its adult life of about 14 days (it has no mouth) and lives off fat reserves built up when it was a caterpillar. The adults quickly mate, lay their eggs and die shortly after. At Natureland the Atlas Moths are hatched out in a purpose built hatching cage and are then transferred to the flight area where they hang on their coccoons until night time when they fly off in search of a mate.( pic right of Ella Yeadon, Natureland helper, checking out a newly hatched Atlas Moth).
The Soay lambs that were born last month are doing very well and growing quick.
All our goats and sheep have been vaccinated against the blue tongue disease.
Mrs. Lill from Skegness donated 11 goldfish which have a new home in one of the pools in the Floral Palace.
On the 14th May we rescued a 5 month old grey seal pup from the beach at Chapel Point. It had very bad injuries and infection to its rear flippers, left eye and swollen and infected jaw. It did not respond to initial treatment so we sent it to the RSPCA Wildlife Hospital in Norfolk where they have the facilities to treat more serious cases. After x-rays it was found that its injuries were worse than we initially thought and it had to be put to sleep.

April 2008

Two rescued grey seal pups were released this month, Newkie on the 3rd April and Chardonnay on the 10th. Both had recovered really well.
April sees the reopening of our tropical butterfly exhibit where butterflies from all over the world can be seen flying freely around you as you walk through the beautiful exotic plants.
On the 25th April Dorothy, one of our Soay sheep gave birth to our first lamb. The lamb has been named Ailsa and after a couple of days inside she is now out and about in the Pets Corner with our other sheep and goats etc. Our other ewe, Bamboo, is due to give birth any day now! Soay sheep are one of the oldest breeds of sheep and once could only be found on the island of Soay off north west Scotland. All of todays Soay sheep originate from 107 individuals moved from the island in 1932. (Pic. of Ailsa and Nicky Yeadon - right).

March 2008

Unfortunately, the two penguin eggs did not hatch. They were infertile so, hopefully, next time we might have more success.
On the 3rd March we released Whiskey, Red Bull and Snowball - seals that had been rescued in December and January.
Only one seal rescued this month (from now to June should be our "quiet time"). This grey seal pup was washed up at Chapel Six Marshes on the 22nd March. She had cuts on her flippers and was suffering the effects of lungworm. After four days of intense treatment she was looking a lot better and started to feed herself in the water. As she weighed 60lbs. when she was rescued it should not be long before we can release her. She has been "christened" Chardonnay.
On the 26th March we released Tia and Schnapps, two grey seals that had been rescued in January.
Our aquarium got some new residents this month - Seahorses were introduced to one of our tropical marine tanks. Seahorses are difficult to keep and a lot of research and preparation was done before finally putting them into their tank. We are hoping to be able to breed them in the future. ( see pic right).

February 2008

On the 4th February we got a telephone call from a member of the public to say that he had got a seal pup sunning itself on his lawn. Not something you see every day! Even stranger, the house was located in a village called Withern, about 5 miles inland from the sea. The seal pup, which was probably born at Donna Nook, had gone up a river from the sea and ended up at the local trout farm, and probably eaten a few too many rainbow trout before coming out for a rest on the lawn. We brought him back to Natureland to recover in the seal hospital as he was very underweight at only 28lbs. As at the 22nd February he has progressed to the seal hospItal pool and is doing very well. He has been named Newkie. (Newkie, pictured right, in the hospital pool).
On the 5th February we released Bateman and Sherry, two grey seals that were rescued in December. Their release was filmed by Channel 5's Animal Rescue Squad and is due to be on TV sometime in March.
One day later, on the 6th February, we rescued another grey seal pup from North Shore beach, Skegness. Approximately 5 weeks old he was underweight, had an infected wound on one flipper and damage to his mouth. After some TLC in the seal hospital Vimto is now learning to compete for food in the hospital pool.
As I am writing this, we have just returned from rescuing the latest seal pup. We were called out to Chapel Six Marshes early this morning by a member of the public that found the pup whilst walking on the beach. About 8 weeks old he is underweight and weak with infected wounds under his chin. He is getting a course of antibiotics in the seal hospital and, hopefully, will soon be making a speedy recovery. (Not yet named).
Our penguins have been sitting on two eggs for the past few weeks and they are due to hatch in the next few days. We are all keeping our fingers crossed.

January 2008

On the 2nd January we got a phone call from Coastwatch reporting an injured seal on the beach at Ingoldmells Point. It was a grey seal pup about 3 weeks old, female, underweight at 32.3 lbs and with a very badly infected eye. She was brought back to our seal hospital and named Asti. She was put on a course of antibiotics and eye cream was applied 3 times per day.
Two grey seal pups were rescued on the 6th January, both more or less from the same place - on the beach behind Butlins holiday camp! Both were underweight and about 4 weeks old. One of them had very sore eyes probably caused by windblown sand and the other had an injured rear flipper and blood around its nose. Both are receiving treatment in Naturelands seal hospital and have been named Whiskey and Tia.
On the 7th January we released two common seals back into the wild, Guinness (rescued in August) and Pernod (rescued in October). See picture right.
Later in the month, on the 21st January, another grey seal pup was rescued from the beach at Chapel St. Leonards. At approximately four weeks old he only weighed 26lbs. (The normal birth weight is about 30 - 35 lbs). He also had a gum infection and a cut near his left eye. Named Schnapps.
Scrumpy and Harvey were released into the sea on the 23rd January after making a full recovery following their rescue in December.
The next seal to be rescued was named Red Bull (continuing the drinks theme) and was found on the beach at Trunch Lane, Chapel St. Leonards on the 24th January. He was underweight and had breathing problems. He is being treated in our seal hospital.

December 2007

Everything was quiet at the begining of the month and then we had a very busy ten days.
On the 11th December we had a telephone call from the local Coastwatch group about a seal washed up at Ingoldmells. It was a female common seal about 5 months old. She was very underweight, had wounds to flippers and breathing problems. At the moment she is still undergoing treatment in the seal hospital at Natureland. She has been called Martini.
Our first grey seal pup of the year was rescued on 12th December from Anderby Creek. This male pup weighed 36.7lb which is underweight for a 3 week old pup. He also had some small cuts to his rear flippers. He has progressed well and is now in the seal hospital pool. Named Bateman after our excellent local beer!! Bateman (back) is pictured right with Harvey (front).
Another grey seal pup was rescued on 14th December from North Shore, Skegness, virtually on our doorstep. The normal birthweight for grey seals is 30 to 35 lbs, this one was only 26.2lbs. and about 4 weeks old. She also had very bad gum infection and possible seal pox. Named Sherry.
Two days later on the 16th December we rescued two grey seal pups on the same day, both about 3 weeks old, one came from the beach at Moggs eye and the other from Ingoldmells. Both were underweight and one had a bite on its neck. Named Harvey and Snowball.
Our next rescue was another common seal about 5 months old, from the beach at Ingoldmells on the 19th December. Suffering from lungworm and cuts to muzzle and flippers.
Unfortunately the two common seal pups that we rescued this month, Martini and the un-named one rescued on 19th December, both died from pneumonia despite our best efforts to save them.
On Christmas Eve we rescued a common seal pup from Ingoldmells Point. It is about 5 months old and was suffering from breathing problems caused by the parasitic lungworm. Named Scrumpy.
On New Years Eve we were called out to a grey seal pup at Chapel Point. It was about 4 weeks old and underweight and weak. He was brought back to Naturelands seal hospital for treatment. Called Murphys.
Meanwhile we are busy with our winter maintenance jobs.

November 2007

RELEASES
Gin, Tonic and J20 were all released on the 6th November.
Gin and Tonic were the two seals born this summer at Natureland and J20 was rescued on 9th August with a mouth infection and very underweight.
Sambuca and Margaritha were both released on 26th November.
Sambuca had made a speedy recovery after being rescued on 15th October and Margaritha took a little longer to recover - she was rescued on 27th August, very underweight, dehydrated and with a mouth injury. See photo right of Sambuca and Margaritha going back to sea.

October 2007

Two seal pups have been rescued this month.
The first one was on the15th October when we were called out to a seal up on Ingoldmells beach. When we arrived we found a 3 month old common seal with cuts to its muzzle and flippers, it also had very irregular breathing (usually a sign of lungworm). She was named Sambuca and after treatment in our Seal hospital started to look a lot better.
On the 17th October we were called out to another pup this time just to the south of Skegness Pier. She was very underweight (only 35lbs), had injuries to muzzle and mouth and also lungworm. Named Pernod is recovering in the Seal Hospital at the moment.
Five seals have been released back into the sea this month:
Budweiser and Fosters were released on the 8th October.
Tetley was released on the 15th October.
Tango and Malibu were released on the 22nd October.

September 2007

Gin and Tonic (the two pups born at Natureland) have been moved to the Rearing Pool with our rescued pups. Here they will learn to feed on fish before being released into the sea.
On 05.09.07 we were called out to a seal pup in distress at Gibraltar Point, near Skegness. This is quite a remote area and the rescuers had to walk about a mile and a half over tidal creeks and mud to reach the pup. It is very underweight for a 5 week old pup and also badly dehydrated. Once back at Naturelands Seal Hospital it was given rehydration fluids and antibiotics and will hopefully make a speedy recovery. He has been called Tetley. (See picture on right).
On the 27th September five of our rescued seal pups were released back into the wild. Cocoa, Cola, Tequila, Shandy and Stella had reached the target weight for release so, release tags in rear flippers, they were taken down to the beach behind Natureland and we said goodbye! It is nice to think we have given them a second chance in life.
An exhausted guillemot was brought to us from the beach at Chapel St. Leonards. He is currently recharging his batteries in the seal hospital and will be released when he has recovered.

August 2007

Below is a list of all the seal pups we have rescued in August 2007:
01.08.07:- Budweiser, Male, 2 weeks old, from Ingoldmells, infected mouth and gums, weak.
01.08.07:- Shandy, Female, 2 weeks old,from north Shore, swollen mouth, weak.
02.08.07:- Tequila, Female, 2-3 weeks old, from Anderby Creek, underweight, swollen mouth.
02.08.07:- Tango, Male, 2-3 weeks old, from North Shore, swollen mouth, underweight.
06.08.07:- Stella, Female, 1 week old, from Chapel St. Leonards, swollen mouth, underweight.
09.08.07:- J2o, Male, 2 weeks old, from Chapel Point, swollen chin, underweight.
23.08.07:- Guinness, Male, 3-4 weeks old, from Skegness beach, breathing problems.
27.08.07:- Fosters, Male, 4 weeks old, from Winthorpe beach, flipper wounds, underweight.
27.08.07:- Margaritha, Female, 3-4 weeks old, from Chapel St. Leonards, Underweight, weak.
29.08.07:- Malibu, Female,6 weeks old, from Skegness south beach, worms, infected mouth.
Some of the above seals have progressed to the Rearing Pool where they are taught to feed on fish in the water and are fattened up to the target weight we require before releasing them back into the wild. Others are still receiving intensive treatment in Naturelands Seal Hospital.
Two of our resident seals have produced pups. Victoria gave birth to a male pup on Saturday 4th August and Titch gave birth to another male pup on Saturday 11th August. The pups have been named Gin and Tonic! The pups will suckle from their mothers for approximately four weeks and then be transferred to our Rearing Pool where they will be taught to eat fish before being released with our rescued pups.

Pictures: Left- Victoria and Gin. Right - Titch and Tonic.
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July 2007

On the 1st July we were called out to a Common Seal pup washed up onto the beach at North Shore in Skegness. There was no sign of the mother seal so we brought her back to our Seal Hospital to be cared for. (See picture right). She has been named Cocoa (this years theme for names is drinks) and as she was only a few days old she would normally still be suckling from her mother. Dehydration is one of the most common ailments that orphaned seal pups suffer from so the first thing we do is to give them rehydration fluid via a stomach tube. They are also given a course of antibiotics and vitamin tablets. Cocoa progressed well and towards the end of the month was transferred outside to the hospital pool. From here she will go to the rearing pool before being released in a few months time.
After a long wait the second common seal pup of the year was rescued on the 31st July from the beach at Anderby Creek. This one (named Cola) had a badly swollen, infected muzzle and was also dehydrated.

June 2007

An exhausted Gannet was found on the beach and brought to us for attention. After a thorough examination we could see that he was very thin and had probably been battered about in the bad weather. After a couple of weeks bed and breakfast he was strong enough for release. (See pic right).
Several of the ducks and ducklings have also been released.
The herring gull with a broken wing has been passed on to another rescue centre for long term treatment.
Worrying reports from Denmark where 41 seals have been reported to have died in a new outbreak of the phocine distemper virus.

May 2007

Blossom, a grey seal pup rescued in March, was released back into the sea on the 14th May.
Apple, Pine and Lilac continue to make good progress and should be ready for release in the next few weeks.
No rescued seals this month but we have been kept busy with orphaned ducklings and injured ducks and a herring gull with a broken wing.
Recent new arrivals at Natureland include three Soay sheep, a Frilled lizard and the return of the tropical butterflies.
The three Soay sheep in the Pets Corner are part of our off site breeding flock. Until just over 100 years ago these sheep could only be found on the island of Soay off the north coast of Scotland.They are probably the oldest breed of sheep and were once in danger of extinction. We are members of the Soay Sheep Society and the Rare Breeds Survival Trust. Our three Soays are called Bracken (ram), Bamboo and Dorothy (ewes). Bracken is pictured above.
The Frilled lizard came from an organization called Proteus Reptile Rescue which rescues and rehomes any type of reptiles.
May sees the return of the Tropical Butterflies to our Floral Palace where visitors can walk through the beautiful plants whilst the butterflies fly all around.

April 2007

At the end of the month, Apple, the seal rescued on 10th April has made a fantastic recovery and is steadily putting on weight. (Apple is pictured right with Pine in the background).
A 4 month old grey seal was washed ashore on the 22nd April at Chapel Point. She had a very swollen, infected jaw and muzzle aswell as cuts to her rear flippers. We called her Lilac and after a course of antibiotics the swelling went down and she began to feed well enough to be transferred to the rearing pool.
On the 4th April we celebrated the release of the 500th seal to be rehabilitated at Natureland. We have been involved with this rewarding work since 1965 and the number of seals rescued has steadily increased over the years. This year ( May to April) we have rescued 35 seal pups. The three seals released were Palm, Alder and Chestnut.
A common seal was rescued on 10th April. Named Apple, she was washed ashore at Anderby Creek and was in a very sorry state. Dehydrated, exhausted, multiple small wounds, lungworm, underweight and running a high temperature.

March 2007

Douglas (Fir), rescued in January, was released on the 15th March.
On 1st March we were called out to a grey seal pup at Chapel Point beach. When we got there we found a grey seal pup about 4 months old with very bad breathing problems caused by lungworm. She was taken back to our Seal Hospital and after treatment started to respond well. We named her Palm.
On 7th March we picked another grey seal pup up from Chapel Point, again suffering from lungworm and very exhausted.

February 2007

Whitebeam, the albino seal, was released back into the sea on 27th February along with Holly. He had delighted everyone with his recovery and lots of people from near and far had been to see him during his stay with us. To see him swim out into the sea, in such a healthy state was a great experience.
Also released this month on the 21st was Yew, the grey seal pup rescued in December.
And just to keep us busy! Two more grey seal pups were rescued:- Chestnut and Alder.
Chestnut was stranded on Ingoldmells beach on the 26th and had lungworm and a wound on his right hand side.
Alder came in on the 28th from the beach at Marsh Yard exhausted and with an injury to his mouth.

January 2007

Two grey seal pups were rescued in January, Holly and Douglas (Fir). Holly came in on the 10th from Sutton-on-Sea beach and Douglas from North Shore beach, Skegness on the 23rd January. Both were underweight and had infected wounds around their mouths and flippers.
Whitebeam, the albino seal pup, continues to progress well and has been moved to the rearing pool.

December 2006

On the 11th December a rare albino common seal pup (pictured right) was rescued from the beach at Sutton-on-Sea after being washed ashore and found by a member of the public.The pup, named Whitebeam, was in very poor condition on arrival, suffering from lungworm and wounds to his flippers and muzzle, aswell as being underweight. First he was given a worming injection and then the wounds were cleaned and treated. He was also put on a course of antibiotics. After a shaky few days his condition started to improve and his appetite returned. Once he is fully fit and has reached his target weight he will be released back into the sea.
Albino seals are very rare, before this year the last one treated at Natureland was in 1994.
Acer (one of the seals rescued in November) was released back into the sea on the 12th December.
Yew, the first grey seal pup of the year, was rescued from Chapel St. Leonards beach. About four weeks old, he was underweight and exhausted.
This year, so far, Natureland has rescued 27 orphaned and injured seal pups.
Since 1965, 491 seals have been rescued and rehabilitated by Natureland.

November 2006

Five seals have been released back into the sea this month.
Hazel, Ash, Oak, Larch and Laurel all reached the minimum release weight (60lb+) and were successfully released from Skegness beach.
It has been a busy month for seal rescues. Seven more young common seals, details below:
02/11/06 - Acer, rescued from Chapel St. Leonards beach.
02/11/06 - Birch, rescued from Winthorpe beach.
03/11/06 - Cherry, rescued from Ingoldmells beach.
07/11/06 - Cedar, rescued from Sandylands beach.
09/11/06 - Pine, rescued from Ingoldmells beach.
11/11/06 - Acacia, rescued from Wolla Bank beach.
21/11/06 - Bay, rescued from Ingoldmells beach.

The main reason the above seals needed treatment was for lungworm, a parasitic worm that lives in the lungs and makes it difficult for the seals to hold their breath to dive for food. They were all underweight, exhausted and suffering from cuts/wounds to flippers. As at 31/11/06 they are all progressing well.
Pictured above are Birch and Cedar in the Rearing Pool.

October 2006

On the 9th October we were called out to rescue a seal pup from Anderby Creek. We got there to find a very underweight common seal pup, about 12 weeks old, with a large wound on its back and smaller wounds to its mouth and flippers. We named him Larch (this years theme is trees) and after treatment in the seal hospital he has progressed to the seal hospital pool.
Rowan and Juniper, two seals rescued during the summer, were released back into the sea on 16th October.

September 2006

Conker, the pup that was born at Natureland, has finished feeding on his mums milk and is now in the Rearing Pool with the rescued pups learning to feed on fish.
On the 21st September we rescued another seal pup from the beach at Ingoldmells. He had cuts to his muzzle and flippers and was showing signs of lungworm. After initial treatment, he is doing well.
A Fulmar (looks like a cross between a seagull and an albatross) was rescued from the surf on a local beach. Absolutely exhausted and waterlogged we didn't give it much hope. However, after rest under one of our heatlamps, it perked up and after a few days feeding we passed it on to the RSPCA to finish its rehabilitation.
The Chinese Painted Quail in our Floral Palace (home to the tropical birds and butterflies) have been breeding like mad this summer. The chicks are that small they look like bumble bees with legs!
Rescued seal pups Willow, Bonsai and Spruce were all released into the sea on the 4th September.( See picture above).
Pups Juniper, Ash, Hazel and Rowan have all progressed to the Rearing Pool.
Laurel has been transferred outside to the Seal Hospital Pool.

August 2006

On the 31st August we got a phone call from the coastguard reporting 2 stranded porpoises on the beach to the south of Skegness. When we got there, after a long walk, they turned out to be 20ft long Bottle-nosed Whales weighing about 4 tons each. (See picture below). Unable to refloat these beautiful creatures on our own, we immediately got in touch with other rescue organisations. Unfortunately one of the whales died whilst we were waiting for help despite our efforts to keep it wet and destressed. Eventually members of BDMLR (British Divers Marine Life Rescue) arrived with equipment to refloat the remaining whale at the next high tide at 11.30pm. At about midnight, the whale was towed out to sea. The rescue attempt involved Natureland staff, BDMLR, RSPCA, staff from Gibraltar Point Nature Reserve, local coastguards and fireservice. Despite all our best efforts the whale was washed ashore dead the next morning. We await post mortem results to see if they reveal what was wrong.
Franny, one of our resident female seals, gave birth to a stillborn pup on the 29th August. We were all disappointed for her after a long pregnancy.
Titchs pup Conker, (see July), has been suckling from Mum for 4 weeks and now the milk is drying up will have to learn to feed himself on fish before being released into the wild sometime this autumn.
Laurel was rescued from the south beach in Skegness on the 15th August. Approximately 6 weeks old and only weighing 25lbs. he also had lungworm. He is recovering in the Seal Hospital.
Ash, a seal pup rescued on the 8th of August from Huttoft car terrace, also managed to avoid the virus and we were able to treat his infected muzzle, hopefully he will be OK.
Two pups rescued in early August, Hazel and Rowan, both with infected wounds to mouth and body. Both managed to avoid the virus and have joined Juniper (the pup with only one eye) in the Hospital Pool.
Willow and Bonsai continue to do well in the Rearing Poll and have been joined by Spruce, a seal that was rescued from the beach at Ingoldmells. Spruce was approximately 14 months old when rescued and had superficial wounds to his face and body. We were surprised to see he already had a tag in one of his rear flippers. It was not one of ours, and it turns out that he was rescued last year by the RSPCA in Norfolk. After a short spell in the Seal Hospital he was well enough to go outside.
Early August was extremely busy for seal rescues. Twelve pups were rescued in a period of 18 days, often early evening which meant working quite a few 12 hour + days. Normally we are able to save and release about 90% of the seals that come to us for treatment but, this year, a virus has caused a higher mortality rate than normal. We have had 9 pups out of 17 die because of a type of phocine (seal) herpes virus that has come in with one of the rescued pups. Other seal sanctuaries have had the same problem so it must be something going around the wild population this year.