He needed help, and found the right people.
At The Lazy Wave Cafe on the Isle of Wight off the coast of England, thirsty patrons can often be found enjoying drinks and taking in the beautiful oceanfront scenery. But recently, staff members and customers at the cafe noticed someone unusual bellying up to the bar — someone small.
A young grey seal pup had wandered into the restaurant, perhaps looking for help. The tired seal inched his way across the cafe floor before falling asleep next to a bench.
Worried staff members had no idea what to do, so they called British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) for help.
BDMLR marine mammal medics quickly arrived at the scene. They examined the pup and found that he was underweight and clearly exhausted. The rescuers moved the seal to a carrier and brought him to Carisbrooke Vets, where team members fed the pup overnight and helped stabilize him.
The next morning, rescuers brought the seal to the RSPCA rehabilitation center, where he could continue recovering.
“The feisty youngster [was] sleeping soundly for most of the journey,” BDMLR wrote in a press release.
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RSPCA staff members named the little seal Elmer and gave him a safe space to relax.
“[Elmer] will spend the next couple of months regaining his strength and piling on the blubber he needs to thrive back in the wild when he is released back on the west coast,” BDMLR wrote.
BDMLR team members are grateful that cafe patrons and staff did the right thing by calling for help. Thanks to their quick thinking, Elmer will enjoy a happy, healthy life in the wild.