March 21, 2023 11.00 am This story is over 24 months old

Bird flu uncertainties are ‘quite concerning’ for Skegness seal sanctuary

The sanctuary rescues and rehabilitates abandoned or sick seals

The manager at Natureland Seal Sanctuary in Skegness is concerned over the uncertainties of animals which could be carrying bird flu.

A dead porpoise was recently infected by the disease off Yorkshire’s east coast.

Although the government says the risk of bird flu spreading from birds to mammals remains extremely low, scientists are increasing their surveillance of wildlife deaths in areas where the disease is known to be present.

Matthew Yeadon, Manager at Natureland, told BBC Look North: “
We’ve got a lot of seals on site that are doing very well.

“We’ve got our resident animals as well, including penguins that are very rare species of penguins, so being uncertain about the animals that are out there, whether they are carrying a deadly disease, is quite concerning for us because we don’t know where our next step should be.”

Seals at Natureland in Skegness. | Screenshot: BBC Look North

The Lincolnshire coastline is home to thousands of seals. Natureland rescues and rehabilitates orphaned and injured seal pups along the Lincolnshire coast.

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