Stranded grey seal pup taken rescued from Fleetwood beach
Coastguard explains what to do if you find a live marine mammal on the shore
A very young grey seal pup found stranded on Fleetwood Beach has been taken to a specialist centre for rehabilitation.
The pup was spotted on Saturday morning, according to a post from HM Coastguard Fleetwood.
The coastguard team said the first person to find the animal did "absolutely the right thing" by contacting British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR).
Two local marine mammal medics attended. They are a member of the Fleetwood Coastguard team and a Fleetwood lifeboat crew member.
The seal was assessed and found to be quite badly dehydrated, underweight and abandoned.
After speaking to the BDMLR rescue coordinator, it was decided to capture the pup and take it to a specialist centre. The aim is for it to be released back into the wild once it has recovered.
HM Coastguard Fleetwood said: "Intervention is always a last resort and must only be done by suitably trained medics."
Why the Coastguard doesn't usually attend
The coastguard team said live, stranded marine mammals do not fall under HM Coastguard's remit.
It may be called to help if there is a risk to human safety.
This is different from dead cetaceans, where the Coastguard does have a remit to attend, take measurements and report on the finding.
What to do if you find a stranded marine mammal
HM Coastguard Fleetwood has shared the following advice for anyone who finds a live stranded marine mammal.
Call BDMLR, the primary organisation for live marine mammal rescues in the UK. Its national hotline is 01825 765546.
Do not approach the animal too closely. Keeping your distance avoids causing further stress to the animal and protects you from potential injury or disease.
Keep people and dogs away to prevent further distress to the animal.
Do not try to push the animal back into the sea. The coastguard team said marine mammals often strand for a reason, such as being sick, injured or disoriented, and a professional medic needs to assess the animal's health and decide the best course of action.
HM Coastguard Fleetwood also reminded people that in a coastal emergency, they should call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.