Saving Seal Pups: Glossary, Dictionary and Thesaurus

Saving Seal Pups

1Along some rocky coasts, workers at seal rescue centers help young seals that are sick, hurt or alone. A seal pup may become stranded on the shore after a big storm or after it is separated from its mother. People who find a pup should stay far back and call a rescue center instead of touching it. Sometimes the mother is only out finding food and will return.

2When a pup arrives at the center, an animal doctor checks it carefully for cuts and other injuries. Many rescued pups are thin and weak. A healthy seal has a thick layer of blubber under its skin. This fat keeps the seal warm in cold water. It also stores energy for times when food is hard to find.

3Volunteers help nourish the pups. Very young pups may drink a special mix through a tube at first. Later, workers teach them to eat whole fish. The pups also swim in pools to make their flippers strong.

4Workers try not to let the pups get too used to people. They stay quiet and spend only as much time with the pups as they need to. A pup that is too comfortable around people might swim up to boats later, and that is not safe for a wild animal.

5When a pup is healthy and strong, it is time for its release. Workers carry it in a crate to the shore and open the door. The pup wiggles across the sand and slides into the waves. The goal of every rescue is to return the seal to its wild home.