• Home
  • FAQs
  • Contact
Donate Now
Friends of Horsey Seals
  • Home
  • About
    About UsWho We AreWhat We DoProtecting the ColonySeal RescuesSeal CountsInformation & OutreachEducationCampaignsKidz N’ Pupz
  • Grey Seals
    About Grey SealsGalleryViewing SealsGuidelinesPhotographing SealsDogs & SealsFinding Lone Seals
  • News
  • Visit
  • How You Can Help
  • Friends

Seal Rescues

The ethos of FoHS is to always put the needs of the seals first. Human interaction with them should be a last resort and only if absolutely necessary. The act of rescuing a seal is traumatising for them so should only be attempted in situations where they are either in danger, have life threatening injuries or treatable illnesses. Sometimes the kindest thing to do is to let nature take its course.

Photo by Jo Davenport

The Friends of Horsey Seals Rescue team grew out of the original project set up by Natural England and the Broads Authority. Apparently, an early rescue involved an injured pup being carried off the beach in someone’s jacket.

But we have come a long way since then. Members of our rescue team are now trained by the RSPCA to handle seals safely and with the least possible trauma to the animal. On average in 2020, six rescuers attended 2.5 callouts per week.

Seals are wild animals and can be very feisty so trying to rescue one is not always straightforward. Team members need knowledge and determination. They are well equipped for the job with a special vehicle, fondly nicknamed the ‘Sealmobile’ and a Polaris six wheeled all-terrain vehicle.

They also use seal stretchers, seal nets, a stretcher carrier, seal bags and wear special identifying blue vests.

The FoHS rescue team is funded entirely by your generous donations. We also owe a debt of gratitude to all the organisations and individuals who buy or contribute towards essential equipment.

Photo by Damien Stabler

How We Do It

The FoHS Rescue Team is on standby throughout the year. It is a sad fact that we are having to rescue an increasing number of injured seals or those in distress.

We have a designated emergency number for reporting any seal in difficulty 07706 314514.

Photo: Jo Davenport

FoHS rescue team works in partnership with other seal rescue groups in Norfolk and the RSPCA. We communicate using a member only app, called Hangouts. It helps everyone share information and co-ordinate rescues by mobile phone.

During the pupping season, on average we have one callout a day and slightly fewer at other times of year. We transport the more seriously injured and sick seals to the RSPCA East Winch Wildlife Centre for treatment. It is a very busy place looking after a wide range of animals, not just seals, so spaces at East Winch can be at a premium.

If the injuries are less serious, in consultation with RSPCA, our rescuers will try and remove any entanglement and treat minor wounds before releasing seals back onto the beach. We sometimes mark a seal by spraying a blue dot on its back, to identify it later and monitor its progress. These rescues are paid for out of the donations we receive.

Rescue Stories: Sick Seal at Caister 22/03/2021

Thanks to the people who alerted us to a little Atlantic grey seal on Caister Beach who was clearly unwell, lethargic and had laboured breathing. It had blood around its mouth which may indicate a condition called lungworm. Our rescue team scooped it off the beach this morning and transported it to the RSPCA Wildlife Hospital at East Winch, where hopefully it will respond to treatment.

Photo by Liz Croxson

Further Reading

Seal Counts

You may wonder why we count our seals during the pupping season, how we go about it and why we bother to do it at all?

Read More

Protecting the Colony

Friends of Horsey Seals works hard to protect the seal colony and make sure people keep a safe distance while viewing them.

Read More

Frequently Asked Questions

Read More

 

Emergency?

If you see any seals in difficulty, please contact the FoHS Rescue Team on 07706 314514
or the RSPCA on 0300 1234999.

Friends of Horsey Seals

Contact Us

Friends of Horsey Seals,
c/o 2 Chapel Cottages,
Back Lane, Rollesby,
Norfolk, NR29 5EB

enquiries@friendsofhorseyseals.co.uk

Follow Us

Navigation

  • Home
  • News
  • Contact
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Friends Area
Support Us

© Friends of Horsey Seals 2021 • Registered Charity 1169539

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT