Zoo's unexpected festive intake

All the rescued seals are doing well

Keepers at the Welsh Mountain Zoo in Colwyn Bay have been kept busy over Christmas taking care of eight seal pups rescued from the Irish Sea.

Three pups were found off the Northern Ireland coast, but because the Belfast sanctuary was full, they were brought over by ferry to north Wales.

Five seals found along the coast of north Wales were also handed into the zoo's seal rescue Unit by the RSPCA.

The unit is now full and has turned some seals away for the first time.

Those three seals were sent to other UK rescue centre to be cared for.

The zoo said the rise in the number of rescued seals is thought to be down to a successful breeding year and an increase in the number of storms washing the seals up along the coast.

The zoo aims to release the seals back to the wild in February

Welsh Mountain Zoo head keeper Peter Litherland said: "This year saw the arrival of seals with a lot of medical problems.

"A few arrived severely dehydrated and underweight and had to be force fed liquidized fish and milk up to four times a day.

"We have had a difficult year but thanks to dedicated keepers who even spent Christmas Day attending to the seals, the worst is now over."

Mr Litherland said all seven pups were now feeding well after their intensive care.

The seals now weigh around 20kg [3.1st] up from just 12kg [1.9st] when they first arrived at the zoo.

The pups will be released when they reach around 40kg [6.3st] and the zoo anticipates they will be sent back to the wild during late February.