Cornish seal pup released into wild after flipper surgery

A seal pup who needed surgery on an injured flipper has been re-released into the wild, a charity has said.

The Cornish Seal Sanctuary in Gweek said the grey seal pup, named Leaf Blower, needed an “intricate” keyhole procedure after shattering the metacarpal of her right front flipper.

Leaf Blower was found “severely malnourished” and injured in Carbis Bay at the start of January and needed months of rehabilitation, the charity said.

Tamara Cooper, from the sanctuary, said volunteers were “absolutely thrilled” Leaf Blower had been given a “second chance”.

The sanctuary raised more than £1,000 through a crowdfunding campaign for Leaf Blower’s treatment.

“It’s a testament to the power of community support and the vital role our sanctuary plays,” she said.

The sanctuary said Leaf Blower received “round-the-clock care” while she “regained her strength and learned the essential skills needed to thrive in the wild”.

“We had to keep her flipper dry while it healed, but introducing her to water once her stitches were out was heartwarming – she seemed so happy,” trainee animal care specialist Jess Holgate told BBC Cornwall.

Leaf Blower was released in the Mount’s Bay area after having a GPS tracker attached, she said.