We are excited to share our new collaboration with the Cornish Seal Sanctuary. A proportion of the proceeds made from the sale of our Seal swimsuit will go towards helping the rescue and rehabilitation of Grey Seal pups from around the Cornish coastline.

The Sea Life Trust Cornish Seal Sanctuary rehabilitates over 70 seal pups each season (September - March). The pups are rescued for various reasons, such as malnourishment to being separated from their mother, and are provided with expert care at the Sanctuary. Many Seals around our coastline also suffer the effects of plastic pollution, becoming entangled in netting and other plastics. Unable to escape from the entanglement can cause serious injuries and distress for the Seals - and in some cases even death. The Laccy Band Challenge was created by the Sanctuary to highlight the feeling an animal goes through when it becomes entangled, as well as raising awareness of the wider effect of litter in our oceans.

Seal Rehabilitation and Release

The first place a rescued Seal pup goes is to the specialised Seal hospital where they are are kept in an isolation pen to be closely monitored and given medication and food. The hospital can look after 6 poorly Seal pups at one time and it costs an average of £2000 for each pup to go through this rehabilitation process. Some Seals have life-threatening injuries and require specialist care such as surgery which further adds to this cost. 

When they are feeling brighter, the pup will move into the main hospital pens which can be filled with water when the pup is ready for swimming.

Once the pup is free from infection and a healthy weight they are moved to the deeper Nursery Pools, often with another pup so they can learn how to dive for their food and socialise. They are then moved to the larger Rehabilitation Pool, where they learn how to compete for their food among the other pups as they would in the wild. Once they reach a certain weight, they are ready to be released back to the sea.

Some Seals cannot be released back into the wild and so are provided with a permanent home at the Sanctuary with ongoing special care from the team of marine animal experts.

If you'd like to meet the Seals and learn about their individual stories, the Sanctuary in Gweek welcomes visitors throughout the year*. As a charity, every ticket to visit supports the incredible work the team do in caring for the rescued Seal pups and the permanent residents that call the Sanctuary home.

Images + references: c/o The Sea Life Trust Cornish Seal Sanctuary