The Cornish Seal Sanctuary has welcomed its first seal pup of the season. The tiny female grey seal is named Babybel.
Babybel was rescued from Port Gaverne on 6 August 2026, when she was estimated to be around seven days old. At that age, she should still have been resting on the beach with her mother, who would normally return to nurse her.
The Cornish Seal Santuary said: "Experienced marine mammal medics from British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) carefully monitored Babybel at the beach for 48 hours, giving her mother every opportunity to return.
"Sadly, Babybel was becoming increasingly weak and it was becoming unlikely that she would be reunited with her mother. She was therefore brought to the Cornish Seal Sanctuary, where the animal care team could provide the specialist care she needed.
"Since arriving at the Sanctuary, Babybel has been rehydrated, closely monitored and given time to rest. The good news is that she is already making great progress and has learnt to feed herself.
"For now, Babybel's days are all about eating, sleeping and growing stronger and has recently moved outside into the Sanctuary's Nursery pools, where she will build her strength, interact with other seal pups and learn the essential skills she will need to survive in the wild. When she has reached a healthy weight and the animal care team are confident she is ready, Babybel will be released back into the sea."
Beth Goodridge, Animal Care Specialist at the Cornish Seal Sanctuary, said: "Babybel is such a tiny pup, but she has already shown us what a little fighter she is.
"We're really pleased with the progress she's making. For now, she has one very important job – eating, sleeping and growing! And our team will be with her every step of the way."
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Cornish Seal Sanctuary Welcomes First Seal Pup Babybel