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Rescued Arctic Ringed Seal Pup Finds Her Appetite After Storm Brendan Ordeal

15th January 2020
Cloudberry the Arctic ringed seal pup was found in Quilty, Co Kerry on Sunday Cloudberry the Arctic ringed seal pup was found in Quilty, Co Kerry on Sunday Credit: Seal Rescue Ireland/Facebook

An Arctic ringed seal pup recovered from the Kerry coast ahead of Storm Brendan has delighted her carers by finding her appetite.

Named Cloudberry, after an Arctic flower, the little marine mammal was first spotted on 2 January but scarpered before rescuers could reach her.

However, she was found again on Sunday afternoon (12 January) some 150km away in Quilty and made her way into the care of Seal Rescue Ireland in Courtown, Co Wexford.

The wildlife rehab centre said that in the 10 days between she had lost condition and strength and became dehydrated, so she was given fluids and allowed to rest.

“We have to be exceptionally careful with this little lady, as ringed seals are known to become stressed very easily when handled, and can over heat and suddenly die (known as capture myopathy),” said the animal rescue charity.

But a strong heartbeat gave her carers hope, and they were cheered even further when she chowed down on some fish yesterday morning (Tuesday 14 January).

As Cloudberry’s condition improves, the next step for her carers is to determine her age which could be anywhere from four weeks to 10 months — older pups will have parasites that will require treatment for a full recovery.

“Being our first ever experience with a ringed seal, we are in contact with both the Alaska SeaLife Center and Zeehondencentrum Pieterburen [in the Netherlands] who have both had experience rehabilitating them, and they are helping to give us advice on her specific needs.”

Published in Marine Wildlife
MacDara Conroy

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MacDara Conroy

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MacDara Conroy is a contributor covering all things on the water, from boating and wildlife to science and business

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Marine Wildlife Around Ireland One of the greatest memories of any day spent boating around the Irish coast is an encounter with marine wildlife.  It's a thrill for young and old to witness seabirds, seals, dolphins and whales right there in their own habitat. As boaters fortunate enough to have experienced it will testify even spotting a distant dorsal fin can be the highlight of any day afloat.  Was that a porpoise? Was it a whale? No matter how brief the glimpse it's a privilege to share the seas with Irish marine wildlife.

Thanks to the location of our beautiful little island, perched in the North Atlantic Ocean there appears to be no shortage of marine life to observe.

From whales to dolphins, seals, sharks and other ocean animals this page documents the most interesting accounts of marine wildlife around our shores. We're keen to receive your observations, your photos, links and youtube clips.

Boaters have a unique perspective and all those who go afloat, from inshore kayaking to offshore yacht racing that what they encounter can be of real value to specialist organisations such as the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) who compile a list of sightings and strandings. The IWDG knowledge base has increased over the past 21 years thanks in part at least to the observations of sailors, anglers, kayakers and boaters.

Thanks to the IWDG work we now know we share the seas with dozens of species who also call Ireland home. Here's the current list: Atlantic white-sided dolphin, beluga whale, blue whale, bottlenose dolphin, common dolphin, Cuvier's beaked whale, false killer whale, fin whale, Gervais' beaked whale, harbour porpoise, humpback whale, killer whale, minke whale, northern bottlenose whale, northern right whale, pilot whale, pygmy sperm whale, Risso's dolphin, sei whale, Sowerby's beaked whale, sperm whale, striped dolphin, True's beaked whale and white-beaked dolphin.

But as impressive as the species list is the IWDG believe there are still gaps in our knowledge. Next time you are out on the ocean waves keep a sharp look out!