Rescued seal pups make a splash for the first time

Dave, Frank, Peggy, Logan and Button enjoy their first swim at Hillswick Wildlife Sanctuary.

Staff at the Hillswick Wildlife Sanctuary are caring for common seal pups which were rescued in Shetland.

Dave, Frank, Peggy, Logan and Button have all been keeping well and the experts at the sanctuary decided it was time they had a swim in the big pool.

A staff member told STV News: “The pups are not quite ready to move outside full time, but we thought it would give them a boost to give their flippers a good exercise.

“At first they all took a lot of encouraging to go into the water – even seals are scared of the deep to begin with – but it didn’t take long before they were racing around and enjoying themselves.”

They threw in a few fish pieces to encourage them, but only two of them were able to suck them up unaided.

“It was an absolute joy to see them whizzing about in their natural element and we hope it won’t be long before they move out of the seal unit and into the big pool properly.”