And he would SWIM 500 miles! Orphaned seal pup is found in Southend river after making epic journey along coast from DUNDEE
- Garlic swam 500 miles down the coast in just a month after losing his parents
- He was found by Clare Smith while she was walking her dog near the River Roach
- The pup has gained more than 3kgs since being rescued and will be released
An orphaned seal pup has been found in a Southend river after making an epic journey along the coast from Dundee.
Garlic the seal swam 500 miles from the Scottish fishing city to the Essex town in just a month after losing his parents.
He set off on the solo trip before getting stranded two miles from sea when the water on the River Roach dipped.
The orphaned pup is now packing on the pounds while being cared for by a charity after he was tagged.
Garlic the seal pup was rescued after he swam more than 500 miles from Dundee, Scotland, to Southend, Essex
He was picked up by South Essex Wildlife Hospital helpers and is being looked after before he can be released back into the wild.
The pup was weighed today and the hospital said it will ‘have to say goodbye to him soon’ after he put on more than 3kgs, weighing nearly 33kg.
A spokesperson said: ‘Garlic the seal pup recently rescued in Southend is packing on the pounds.
‘One of the seals has been found a rehab place at RSPCA Mallydams hospital. All seals were weighed yesterday all putting on at least 3kgs.
‘Garlic was easily tempted onto the stretcher with a fish and weighing almost 33kgs we will have to say goodbye to him soon.’
Garlic was found by Clare Smith while walking her dog after he was stranded two miles from sea when the water on the River Roach dipped
The orphaned pup is now packing on the pounds while being cared for by South Essex Wildlife Hospital, which said it will ‘have to say goodbye to him soon’ after he put on more than 3kgs
Clare Smith, who found Garlic while out walking her dog, said: ‘We had a common seal turn up in a park stream when walking the dog.
‘Essex Wildlife Hospital took him and will hopefully be able to let him go at some point.
‘He had traveled over 500 miles’
Local Sharon Blackwell said: ‘Garlic. You’re adorable.’
Jan Halsey added: ‘Awh that sweet little face.’
Dolly the seal was released at Fairlight beach near Hastings, East Sussex, on the weekend after being washed up at Margate, Kent, in October weighing under two stone and suffering from an eye infection
Garlic was found on Boxing Day last year.
His rescue comes after another seal who was rescued in the southeast was released back into the wild yesterday.
Dolly the seal was released at Fairlight beach near Hastings, East Sussex, on the weekend after being cared for by RSPCA’s Mallydams Wood Wildlife Centre in Hastings.
She had been washed up at Margate, Kent, in October weighing under two stone and suffering from an eye infection.