A dramatic animal rescue took place on the island of Kythera, when a group of climbers discovered an injured and newborn baby seal without its mother.
The baby seal estimated to be 7 days old was dehydrated and malnourished and weighed approximately 15 kilograms.
Members of the “Outdoor Activities Greece” team spotted the injured baby seal at Kalami Beach, after descending the gorge that leads to this hard-to-reach location.
Since Kalami Beach is inaccessible by vehicle, the hikers placed the baby seal into a specialized climbing pack and carried it literally on their backs across the rocks as they ascended back up the rugged gorge.
The baby seal was dehydrated and malnourished and it seemed to be in slight pain, although it had no serious and/or visible injury.
Vrettos Sklavos, from the “Oudoor Activities Greece” told media that that there is a cave nearby where seals seek shelter and maybe a big wave separated the baby seal from her mother as there was a bad weather with a rough sea of 8 to 9 Beaufort.
Despite severe starvation and dehydration that led to a general weakening of its system, newborn seal, discovered alone on a remote, rugged beach in Kythira on October 17, may yet pull through.
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MOm (The Hellenic Society for the Study and Protection of the Monk Seal) provided the following update on the animal’s condition:
“Alexis is no longer alone! An orphaned newborn seal—separated from its mother, likely due to the severe weather over the past few days—has arrived at MOm’s Rehabilitation Center. The little one, named Aphrodite, was discovered the day before yesterday on the hard-to-reach Kalami beach in Kythira by Mr. Vrettos Sklavos and his team from ‘Outdoor Activities Greece,’ while they were descending into the gorge.
They immediately contacted MOm’s Rescue Team, Animal Aid Kythira, and the Coast Guard.”
The incident was made public by “Animal Aid Kythira” via their Facebook page, where they noted the following:
Following an initial assessment of the animal’s condition by experts from MOm, it was deemed necessary to transport it immediately—first to Katerina Stathatou’s veterinary clinic in Livadi for emergency care, then the following afternoon by a Seajets ferry to Piraeus, and finally to MOm’s rehabilitation facilities, located within the Attica Zoological Park in Spata. Thus, the animal—ultimately fortunate despite its misfortune—arrived in Athens, having been safely transported by mountaineers and members of Animal Aid Kythira in a specialized climbing bag from a location that was otherwise inaccessible due to rough seas.
Visibly malnourished and weakened, the newborn seal, approximately one week old and weighing just 15 kilograms, underwent initial hematological, biochemical, and radiological examinations at the Athens Animal Hospital.
So far, the findings do not indicate any serious underlying pathology, other than severe starvation and dehydration, which have led to a general weakening of its system. Her health status is being closely monitored on a 24-hour basis, and our priority is the gradual restoration of her health and physical condition, with the ultimate goal of returning her to her natural environment.
Pictures source: Animal Aid Kythera
Video source: zoosos.gr