Underweight, thirsty and alone
Two helpless seal pups, Cornetto and Nobbly Bobbly, were found abandoned and alone on seperate beaches in Wales and Devon. Cornetto was dehydrated and underweight, while Nobbly Bobbly was injured and separated from his mother by a storm. Thankfully, they were rescued by our inspectors and rushed to RSPCA West Hatch Wildlife Centre for urgent care.
If you are one of our lucky winners you don’t need to claim your prize as we will post your cheque straight to you. Any chances purchased after 1st August, will be automatically entered into the next available Superdraw.
How we helped them, with your support
The early days
First, we settled these two tiny seals into cozy, indoor cubicles – complete with heat lamps and paddling pools. During those first weeks, Cornetto needed a lot of feeding and Nobbly Bobbly had to have his rear left flipper cleaned regularly.
Getting stronger
As they grew, we moved them to bigger enclosures. And once they hit 20kg, we moved them into one of our small outdoor pools. At this point they can start developing their strength and swimming skills.
Almost ready for the wild
The final pool they live in before taking the plunge into the wild is our large outdoor pool. Here’s where they perfect their hunting skills and learn to play nicely with other seals. Luckily, lazy Nobbly Bobbly has energetic Cornetto to keep him active.
Saying goodbye to Cornetto and Nobbly Bobbly
Final days
Now we’re sure Cornetto and Nobble Bobbly can hunt, swim and survive on their own, they’re ready to go back into the sea. These seals think with their stomachs, so we’re able to tempt them into our large pet carriers with fish and then load them onto our vans.
Beach day
We put their crates down near the water and opened them together. Unsurprisingly, Cornetto was first out and into the sea and Nobbly Bobbly was the last – but they both eventually made it to the water.
Swimming free because of you
Without your regular support, abandoned and injured animals don’t get another chance at life in the wild. So we just want to say thank you for joining the rescue, for giving to the RSPCA and making releases like this possible. Stay tuned for more rescue stories.
Did you know?
Seals have stiff wiry whiskers that are extremely sensitive to movements in the water? This helps them hunt fish in murky water and at night.
PLAY BIG. WIN BIG. MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.
RSPCA Summer Superdraw
Why not buy chances in Summer Superdraw which closes on the 25th July 2025 and draws on 1st August, to be in with a chance of winning our top prize!
If you are one of our lucky winners you don’t need to claim your prize as we will post your cheque straight to you. Any chances purchased after 1st August, will be automatically entered into the next available Superdraw.
OUR PRIZES
- 1st Prize £10,000
- 2nd Prize £2,500
- 3rd Prize £500
And 350 runner up prizes of £5 LOVE 2 SHOP gift cards
Fast reply: One of 25 RSPCA tote bags worth £20*
Did you know?
We tag out seals' back flippers and take pictures of the patterns on their fut, so we can keep track of their progress if they're spotted in the wild.
"It's been amazing to watch these seals grow stronger, together"
Emma Jones, RSPCA Photographer
Nobbly Bobbly
Nobbly Bobbly took his time on release day, sniffing his surroundings before gradually making his way down to the water. We'll miss our sleepiest seal, and hope he has fun exploring the sea at his own pace.
Cornetto
Natural born leader Cornetta is definitely ready for life in the wild. As soon as we opened her kennel, she rushed straight out to sea. We'll miss this sparky seal, but have no doubt she'll thrive - hunting and playing in her natural habitat.
Mini Milk
Since we moved Mini Milk to a large outdoor pool, he perfected his swimming skills in no time, and was soon fit for release. This charming pup was in no rush to get away, and took his time exploring his surroundings before swimming free.
Calippo
Calippo is still feeling poorly. We're still treating his ear infection, and keeping him warm indoors.
