Ocean Lover Saves 1,000 Seals off Britain and Even Builds Them a Hospital

In an extraordinary act of compassion and dedication, an ocean lover in Cornwall, England has single-handedly rescued and rehabilitated over 1,000 seals, and has even built a specialized hospital for them. Lizzi Larbalestier, a volunteer for British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR), transformed her own Airbnb into a makeshift animal hospital to care for injured seals. Recognizing the need for a more comprehensive facility, Larbalestier, along with her husband and other volunteers, built a fully functioning seal hospital from scratch. The hospital, now in its third birthing season, houses ten pens and expects to rehabilitate around 100 seals annually. The seals that arrive at the hospital come from various situations, including injuries caused by boats or fishing equipment, separation from their parents, and malnourishment due to unsuccessful hunting. Larbalestier and her team provide critical care, including check-ups, first-aid, disentanglement from fishing nets, and comprehensive foster and rehabilitation programs. After receiving treatment at the hospital, the seals are transferred to larger rehabilitation centers before being released back into the wild. Larbalestier's exceptional dedication to marine wildlife conservation has earned her the prestigious Animal Action Award from the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). Despite focusing primarily on seals, the BDMLR volunteers respond to various marine wildlife emergencies, including stranded dolphins and turtles in need of specialized care. Larbalestier's selfless efforts and the establishment of the Seal Hospital demonstrates the power of individual action in protecting and preserving our oceans and their inhabitants.

Life Guards Help Forest Department To Rescue Marine Animals In Goa

Goa’s waters are rich in marine wildlife with Olive Ridley, green turtles, humpback dolphins and finless porpoises frequenting the water often.  However, sometimes marine animals are found stranded on the shores, and without timely help, they succumb. For years, the forest department has been doing a commendable job rescuing, attending to and documenting stranded marine animals on Goa's coast. Now with Drishti lifeguards scattered across Goa's beaches pitching in, the response time has been considerably reduced. The lifeguards and forest department were brought together at a workshop conceptualized by Terra Conscious, a conservation-oriented social enterprise promoting responsible marine and coastal tourism. It was also and supported byInternational Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN India) where 150 participants were trained how to respond to live stranding or deaths. Since then, Drishti Marine has reported over 20 marine wildlife strandings (turtles and dolphins), all Schedule I Species under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. They follow proper safety protocols—such as wearing gloves—to reduce the risk of disease exchange and injury. Lifeguards sometimes dive in, untangle turtles from the net, look for injuries and hand them over to the forest department. They play an important role in maintaining a distance between the stranded animal and the curious crowd so as not to scare the animal and avoid any infection from being transmitted. Once the forest department is alerted, its team takes over the rescue operation and extends medical aid with the help of a government vet. Conservator of forests, wildlife, Anil Kumar said, "This new arrangement, where lifeguards are assisting us, has helped reduce the response time and ensured that the stranded animals receive the immediate attention they deserve.”