A seal pup discovered by a postman lying alone outside a front door has been successfully returned to its natural habitat. The infant grey seal, affectionately named 'Cold Call', was found on January 2 by postman Glen Palmer on the doorstep of a residence in Gorleston, Norfolk.
Rescue and Rehabilitation
The pup, estimated to be only a few weeks old, had been sighted the previous day in a car park attempting to take shelter under a vehicle. Following five months of dedicated care, Cold Call was released back into the sea at a north Norfolk beach, alongside seven other seals.
Mr Palmer, who was disappointed to miss the release, expressed a 'feeling of pride of being part of her journey' after discovering the pup on his rounds. The seal was taken to the RSPCA East Winch Wildlife Centre in January by Dan Goldsmith of Marine and Wildlife Rescue.
Mr Goldsmith recalled that Cold Call was 'bright and alert' but there 'was not a chance' she could be returned to the beach due to her condition, weighing just 11.8kg. He stated: 'She was significantly underweight for her age, especially as she had started to moult the white coat.'
Recovery and Release
Over the months, Cold Call reached a healthy weight of 42kg and was deemed fit for release. Severe storms in November had separated many seal pups from their mothers, and Cold Call was one of 30 baby grey seals being cared for at the centre.
Mr Goldsmith, who attended the release, described watching the pup re-enter the wild as 'wonderful'. He added: 'Rescue work is incredibly hard but it's moments like these that are so rewarding.'
Evangelos Achilleos, centre manager at RSPCA East Winch, noted that Cold Call's discovery in such an 'unusual location' 'stunned' everyone. He commented: 'Nothing ever beats that feeling of being able to release an animal back to the wild - where they belong... Seals require a huge amount of care while at the centre and one of the biggest challenges is getting them to eat by themselves unaided. The road to recovery is always long and Cold Call has been with us five months.'
Other Seal Rescues
The seal's ordeal follows numerous similar rescues, including a pup that made an unexpected appearance in January after escaping Storm Chandra by galumphing into a garden in Cornwall. Residents of a home at St Loy, near St Buryan, were shocked to find the seal huddled near a chicken coop. The seal, believed to be five to six months old, had crossed the beach, tackled the coastal path, and squeezed under a gate to enter the garden. Medics from British Divers Marine Life Rescue South West England relocated the seal to a safer beach for release.
