Special release
Last Friday, Ebbie was released on a sandbank near Schiermonnikoog under the watchful eye of seal centre staff. She went together with grey seal pup Omid, who was at the shelter for about the same period. While Omid bobbed quickly to the water, Ebbie needed a bit more time to get used to her surroundings. Eventually, they both swam to the horizon.
Normally a release takes place with a small group of visitors, but this time the press was also present to capture the special farewell. Moreover, thousands of people watched from the bench via a livestream.
Ebbie's stay at the center
Ebbie was found on 3 January on a busy beach near Egmond, in North Holland. She was skinny and surrounded by people and dogs, so she could not find rest. Relocation was not possible, so she was transferred to our seal center. At intake, her age was estimated at seven to 10 days. She was healthy except for a few small, superficial wounds on her head and flippers.
Because Ebbie still had her white birth coat at the intake, it was only after a week in the center that it became clear she is a melanistic seal. When she shed, to the team's surprise, a completely black fur emerged. Melanism is the opposite of albinism: not a lack of pigment, but rather an excess of melanin, which makes for a black fur. In seals, this is rare. In the Netherlands, such a dark colour does not affect their chances of survival - seals are at the top of the food chain and have no natural predators.
According to András Máté Ludányi, veterinarian at the Sealcentre, Ebbie's stay had few peculiarities: "Her stay in the centre was relatively uneventful, she had some bleeding from her belly button in the beginning but it luckily didn’t get infected. She became a self eater very quickly compared to other pups in general - just after 5 days."
Moving
Ebbie is among the last seals to be cared for at Pieterburen before the center moves to the WEC in Lauwersoog. Pieterburen's new home will open to the public on 26 April.
Watch the livestream:
