THE seal which was rescued from Banana Beach last month, is really doing well under the care of uShaka Sea World staff.
Ann Kunz, spokesman for uShaka, said Gru, so named by uShaka staff, took a few days to settle down and accept food offered by the rehabilitation staff.
“His eye has cleared and he is looking so much better,” she said. The injured adult male southern Antarctic fur seal was spotted languishing on the beach between Sunwich Port and Banana Beach, and the community’s rescue efforts helped to get him to uShaka to be treated.
Nowadays, Gru has a healthy appetite and eats a whooping six kilogrammes of fish, including pilchards and hake, a day.
“He loves pilchards and staff need to be very careful when feeding him that they don’t lose a finger or two,” she said.
Anne said Gru is putting on weight daily and they have estimated that he will reach his goal weight in a few weeks.
He will be tagged next week and, if all goes well, he will be released the following week. For pics of the rescue, visit our gallery.
However, Anne was not certain at this stage as to where Gru would be released.
Another sub-Antarctic seal arrived in the rehab centre after beaching on Durban’s South Beach last night. However, this latest seal is in good condition, other than an old eye injury, and will be released sooner than Gru.
