# Baby seal found in country lane



## Johnny Thunder (Feb 24, 2006)

*Baby seal found in country lane *

A seal pup has been found at the side of a country lane in Lancashire - about four miles from the sea. RSPCA officers are trying to discover how the male, found in Capernwray, managed to get so far inland. They have said he may have even been a pet.

The animal was spotted by Mary Woods, 45, and her daughter, Joanne, 20, who managed to get him into their car boot and then take him to their family farm. "No one would believe us until they saw him," the 20-year-old said. 
Ms Woods said they stopped after seeing the seal near a hedge.

"He started coming towards us and we just stared at it in amazement," she said. "He was too heavy to lift, so I reversed the car right up to him and we managed to get him in the boot.

"He was a bit grumpy and scared once we started to lift him."

The family put the seal in a calf pen until the RSPCA arrived. Nick Green, animal collection officer for the RSPCA, said: "Wild seals don't like being around humans at all, but this one seemed really quite tame, which suggests he could have been a pet. "We can't understand how he got there.

"He was found in the middle of a farming community, nowhere near the sea. 
"It's bizarre. The sea and the nearest river are a long way from the spot where he was found."

The seal, who has been nicknamed Sid, is being cared for at Stapeley Grange wildlife centre. He is expected to be released into the wild. One theory is that he could have swum up the River Lune through Lancaster. It could then have crawled overland through fields and across roads, which is unlikely as the seal had no grazing or injuries to its body.

Or it could have been taken from another location and dumped by the side of the road.


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## grapegrl (Jan 3, 2006)

Thank goodness the ladies found the little guy.


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## Fangs (Jun 6, 2006)

Awww... now that was plain mean... if he was dumped by the side of the road! I agree with you grapegrl, good thing those nice ladies found him! :>


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## Hellrazor (Jun 18, 2006)

I wouldnt have called the authorities. I would have kept him myself!!!!


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## Johnny Thunder (Feb 24, 2006)

Update:

*Wandering seal returns to the sea *

A seal pup found wandering in a country lane has been released back into the sea. The seal was found last month four miles from the coast near the village of Capernwray, near Carnforth, Lancashire. There were no grazes on the seal's body to suggest it had crawled from the river.

The seal was originally nicknamed Sid, but RSPCA at the Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre near Nantwich in Cheshire called him Ghost. Ghost was released near Hilbre Island, off the Wirral coast.

RSPCA officer John Littlewood said: "It was a fantastic sight to see Ghost released back in his natural habitat.

"He was found a few miles up the coast in Lancashire, but we released him in the Wirral because there is a healthy colony of grey and common seals. "We wanted to get him back into the wild as soon as possible as he was healthy and showing a great appetite for herring."

RSPCA officers are still not certain how the seal pup found its way four miles inland, but one theory is that he could have swum up the River Lune through Lancaster. The animal charity urged members of the public never to pick up seal pups, but to call them for assistance.


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