THE SCOTTISH Sea Life Sanctuary, near Barcaldine, rescues as many as a dozen injured, sick or abandoned seal pups every year.
A rescue normally begins with a telephone call from a member of the public. Staff at the centre will try to gather as much information from the call as possible by asking questions about the location, size and condition of the pup.
They will also ask whether there are any adult seals nearby as sometimes the mother is just off-shore waiting to come and collect her pup once the people have left the area. From these questions, staff try to work out if the pup is in trouble or if it has just hauled out for a rest.