On Tuesday 30 July, the MMCS got a call from the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation (MWF) staff on Ile aux Aigrettes. A fur seal had shown up on the rocks at the Preskil Beach Resort, which is situated on the mainland opposite the island.

The MWF went to get it and looked after it overnight, rehydrating it and trying to feed it. We alerted the Albion Fisheries Research Centre (AFRC), following the national "Action plan for stranded marine mammals/turtles".
The next morning our staff and volunteers went to pick it up and transported it to the AFRC, where they had prepared their facilities to receive and look after the seal; it was placed in one of their fish ponds.

For several days our Scientific Coordinator helped trying to feed it but the seal was very underweight and weak and not responding well to the care. Despite everyone's efforts, the seal unfortunately didn't make it; it passed away during the night between 4 and 5 August.

If you find a stranded marine animal (whale, dolphin, seal, turtle, etc.), please call the MMCS on 483 7781 and AFRC on 238 4100. It is important that qualified people deal with these animals; it's illegal to touch/move them and it can be dangerous for both parties (diseases, bites, etc.)