Leo the common seal pup is turning into a little fattie and has just about doubled in weight since he arrived six weeks ago as a new born from Orkney. We have managed to wean him off his daily tubings of fish porridge - a relief for both Leo and us - and he is now gaily swallowing pieces of herring...as long as he has a well-protected thumb in his mouth. The next stage is for him to learn to take and swallow pieces of fish on his own and you can see here that, as yet, he has no interest in doing so one little bit. It's just a matter of perseverance until he gets it. Patience is a virtue, as they say...especially with youngsters. #selkie #sealpup #commonseal #harbourseal #orkney #shetland #wildliferehab

Sad news from Shetland today. This otter was found by Phil Clegg and his daughters Olivia and Miranda while on holiday in Unst yesterday. She was lying near Norwick beach alive but in very poor shape. They alerted us and we managed to organise Robbie Brookes to rescue her and thanks to the help of Sarah McBurnie-Clark get her across to the Shetland mainland on two ferries where we were able to collect her. She was still breathing on arrival at the sanctuary, but by this time she was unconscious. We tried dripping water into her dehydrated mouth and laid out a bowl of mashed up fish should she come to overnight, but by this morning she had died. She appears to be a young female who may have just left mum and was not coping in the wild, but we'll never know for sure. At least everyone tried their best to save her. You can't win them all. Unfortunately we heard of another otter killed on the road near Girlsta this morning. Not a good day for otters in Shetland. #draatsie

Now one month old, Leo the common seal pup rescued from Westray in Orkney after being abandoned by his mum and ferried up to Shetland by NorthLink Ferries is finally eating small pieces of fish. We remove the bones from a herring, cut it into small pieces and pop them down his throat. We started over a week ago, but it was too much for his delicate tummy so we stopped and just kept up the fish porridge tubed down his throat straight into his stomach. Not the nicest way to be fed, but it's the only way with seal pups. The other day we started again and he's doing better. We're still keeping up the fish porridge for now - slowly is holy with these babies - but so far, so good. We've tried to interest him in taking a piece of fish himself without us having to push it down his throat. He wouldn't take it from the hand, or from the floor, but he does enjoy chasing a fish piece round his paddling pool. He's not quite got the hang of catching and eating it yet, but one step at a time. He'll get there...eventually. #selkie #sealpup #commonseal #orkney #shetland #fishpieces

Leo, Leo, Leo...he goes from strength to strength and continues to pile on the pounds. And boy, does he love his paddling pool. Rescued by BDMLR Orkney - Public as a new born common seal pup three weeks ago from a beach on Westray in Orkney he has thrived since he arrived here on NorthLink Ferries. He's still being tube fed fish porridge but his weight has increased by half already. The next step is to slowly introduce fish pieces and push them gently down his throat. There was a time when we started caring for seals almost 40 years ago when we could bring a pup up on pieces of fish from the word go. Now their tummies are too sensitive, so we and other seal sanctuaries have to make a rich mixture full of nutritional supplements and tube it directly into their stomachs. Not very nice for them, not very nice for us. Just one of the many consequences of the declining environment seals and other marine creatures have to put up with in this modern world. Our oceans' health needs restoring. #selkie #sealpup #commonseal #harbourseal #wildliferehab #orkney #shetland

Dear Smudge the grey seal who has taken up residency at the sanctuary has started his moult and a beautiful fresh coat is appearing beneath his old fur. During their annual moult - this being his first - seals go off their food so Smudge's appetite has noticeably diminished. But he is relaxed, happy and sleeping quite a lot too. And when Smudge sleeps, he really sleeps! #selkie

What a star Leo the common seal pup from Orkney is turning out to be. He's been here a week and already grown from just under 11 to 14.5 kilos...and such a playful character. We put a tub of water in his pen, but he just climbed into it so we gave him a bigger one...and boy, did he have fun! #selkie #commonseal #harbourseal #sealpup #wildlife

Shetland's selkie summer has begun with Leo the common seal pup, rescued on the isle of Westray in Orkney on Sunday after losing his mum, finally arriving in Shetland on board NorthLink Ferries this morning after a relatively smooth crossing in his kennel below decks. He seems to be in good shape after five days of care by the BDMLR Orkney - Public team where he was placed on a course of antibiotics after his temperature rose mid-week. Despite the shock of a seven hour journey across the Fair Isle Channel on board a ship, Leo arrived looking bright-eyed and bushy tailed and seems to have settled in to the sanctuary quite the thing. He can't be much more than a week old, but is already putting on a little weight with his diet of fish porridge. Now we just have to make sure that continues with round-the-clock feeds. If you would like to join our kind and generous supporters helping us carry on this labour of love caring for seals like Leo, please visit https://www.hillswickwildlifesanctuary.org/donate/ Thankyou so much everyone for your love of ocean wildlife! #selkie #sealpup #commonseal #harbourseal #shetland #orkney #wildlife #oceanlife

The common seal season at Hillswick Wildlife Sanctuary begins this morning with the arrival of this wee fellow on NorthLink Ferries from Orkney where he was rescued on the isle of Westray at the weekend. The British Divers Marine Life Rescue crew on Orkney looked after him until he was fit to travel and it looks like they have done a great job. Thanks to Tom Hadley for the photo. #selkie #sealpup #commonseal #harbourseal #orkney #westray #wildlife #ocean

Smudge the acrobat still has trouble swallowing fish if they are a little too big. He got this one on the second attempt. He also managed to get tangled up in some kelp and play peek-a-boo with the camera. He's a clever boy! #selkie #greyseal #shetland #smudge

Turn on the sound for: What a fantastic celebration on Sunday at Hillswick Wildlife Sanctuary celebrating the life of Jan - "Da Selkiewife". An incredible turn out on a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon full of smiling faces, fun and frolics. Jan would have absolutely loved it! A huge thankyou to everyone involved in making this event happen despite the odd calamity, especially Lynn, Brian, Maddie, JaydonLee, Megan, Daniel, Thomas, Mel, David, Chris, Tracey and family, Alex, Paula, Jim, Paddy & Fiona, Amy, Gavin and the amazing Tim on sounds, not to mention the Shetland Community Brass Band, Sauerkraut Seth and the Sheds, May and Mackie, Joy Duncan's UpAnDrumming and Donald, Alan and Radi for all the wonderful music. And thankyou to everyone who came along and made it such a wonderful occasion. We reckon there were at least 200 of you on the day who helped us raise an incredible £1,200 to help keep Jan's legacy alive caring for Shetland's precious marine mammals. #selkie