A seal pup is being nursed back to health after a suspected dog attack on a beach in north Wales.
The youngster was found underweight and dehydrated last week, with puncture wounds in his back thought to be consistent with dog bites.
The injured animal, nicknamed Twister, was spotted by a diver near Pwllheli beach, who alerted the RSPCA.
A week on from his rescue on Friday, September 24, vets say he is looking ‘lively’ and hope he can be released back into the wild in a few months.
But first Twister needs to put on some weight, with the help of herring soup.
Meanwhile, wildlife experts are urging dog walkers not to allow their pets to get too close to seals.
It is far from the first incident of its kind and follows an attack in March which hit the headlines after resulting in a seal known as Freddie Mercury needing to be put down.
Following the latest attack, Lee Stewart, the manager of Stapley Grange wildlife centre where Twister is being cared for, explained: ‘Dog walkers should always be vigilant if they walk their dogs near seal hotspots on the Wales coast, especially at this time of year during pupping season.
‘Considering his ordeal, Twister is doing well and he’s pretty lively, which is a good sign.’
Mr Stewart added: ‘We are tube feeding him initially, and he’ll then move on to herring soup before we start giving him whole fish.
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‘He’ll be with us for around three or [four] months as he only weighs 14.5kg and he will need to get to around 40kg before he is released back into the wild.’
The RSPCA said Twister will spend his final weeks of rehabilitation at Welsh Mountain Zoo in Colwyn Bay, where he can enjoy larger pools, before being returned back to the wild.
The charity says lone seal pups are often mistakenly thought to be in trouble but advise contacting them if they look thin (with a visible neck, like a dog) if the mother does not return within 24 hours, or if they look sick or injured.
For more information on helping young seals, click here.
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