The Stranded Seal

 

The Stranded Seal

National Geographic & ITV

The fate of a tiny, fluffy white seal pup only weeks old lies in the hands of veterinarian Ian Robinson. A resident vet at the RSPCA Norfolk Wildlife Hospital, Ian cares for dozens of orphaned, sick, or injured seals annually. His latest patient is a grim case: the little seal has suffered a gash on the side of its face and has an infected eye. In addition, the seal has been separated from its mother for several days and is suffering from severe dehydration.

After cleaning and dressing the pup’s wound, Ian puts him under a heat lamp, hoping against the odds for the best. “Scarface,” as the seal pup comes to be known, recovers remarkably well, and along with three other rehabilitated seals, wins a trip back to the wild – complete with a new hat-like accessory that will help the nearby Sea Mammal Research Unit of Cambridge identify and track him.